With a Vengeance
By Thomas N.
The whole house
was dark deep into the night; all lights had been turned off. A sewer rat was
perching on the edge of the refrigerator, watching on as Ý walked down the
stairs. It moved quickly and hid behind the equipment. He made some noise on
the refrigerator, and the rat ran upstairs in no time. Ý went back upstairs,
thinking hard. How to kill it?
He went into his first floor room, lay down and pretended to sleep. He waited for fifteen minutes. The rat must have traveled down to the kitchen. He got up, moved all the mattresses, blankets, pillows, … up to the third floor. The room must be empty for easy attack. He took the white board down from the wall and put it at the lower end of the second stairs blocking the way upstairs to the third floor. The rat would have only one way to go, the first floor room. The windows and the door at the front of the first room had been closed earlier already. He walked out and left the door to the stairs wide open. He went down to the ground floor, opened the front door, took the broom, and closed the door. Now action.
Ý walked to the fridge and slightly hit it, poking the broomstick behind the icebox to stir the rat out. The animal ran out and upstairs, and of course into the first floor room. Ý ran quickly upstairs after it. He entered the room and closed the door behind him. He turned on the lights. He looked around and spotted the pest hiding behind the curtain. He walked and poked the stick straight at it. The large mouse ran out to another corner under the TV cabinet. He pushed the stick under the cabinet and the rat ran out to another corner. Quickly he hit it hard on the back. It was heavy. The mouse paused and ran on but slowly now. He showered the animal with the caning. It fell dead all the time crawling on as hard as it could. He went downstairs and came up again with a nylon bag and a pair of tongs. He picked up the animal, put it in the bag, carried it downstairs and put it outside the door. He walked back in upstairs, opened all the doors and windows, picked up the mop, cleaned up the room, the windows, all the blood… very hard and meticulously. He soaped the mop and cleaned the room again, the floor, the window, the blood, … very thoroughly. He repeated the action and all. Blood carried viruses. He walked down the ground floor, out and picked up the bag with the dead rat inside. He put the mop and the rat bag inside a bigger bag and picked up the battered broom, and, with all in two hands, he walked out to the street, across it and put all of the stuff in the big trash bin on the other side of the street.
Ý walked back home, into the house, and sat on the ground floor for half hour before going upstairs and into the room and prepared everything for bed. His family had been asleep all the time upstairs on the second floor, doors and windows closed. All the noise had been controlled well so that nobody would have been woken up. A perfect battle.
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Guitar Café’s ground floor was elevated half a level higher than that of the neighbor’s to make some room for a basement used as a bike park. To get cool, patrons might get inside of the air-conditioned glass room; however, they could not enjoy the fresh air outside among the trees planted neatly along the brown wooden and black iron tables and chairs and where they could also enjoy the pleasant feelings of being idle and watching the hustle and bustle of city life with heavy traffic just a little far down below. Many chose outdoors.
Mid-morning half of the café was empty. Some young people were smoking and laughing about their late night activities. Some middle-aged couples, wearing Adidas outfits with badminton rackets leant against the wall, sitting by the edge of the yard sipping coffee, chatted happily along the noise of the vehicles on the street.
Mien propped her long legs across onto the other chair of the table keying the iPhone nimbly. She was in a good mood. Having decided to make herself look lazy and cool with short light khakis and crop top, she was intent on wooing the boy today.
Possessing an angular face with high cheekbones, a pink complexion, naturally thin eyebrows and curly eyelashes, Mien did not think she had to wear any make-up. Natural looks nowadays knocked down guys more quickly than sophisticated masks. Her leather two-string sandals would show her sensual simplicity too, purposefully. The only femininity more prominent in her escape was her long smooth black hair which she just let fly down in a stream tied loosely at the nape showing a beauty mark farther to the round right shoulder.
Next to her table was the thirty-something-year-old guy that Mien had already been introduced via the Internet. His name was Chung. One hundred seventy five centimeters tall, he had the manly look girls fell for, with muscular arms and shoulders, a tanned complexion and a little rough weather beaten face he had acquired during the floating days he spent on the oil rig far away offshore Vung Tau in the mid-ocean. He was on his two-week quarterly leave now, smartly dressed with Levi’s and Burberry, a golden Rolex on the left wrist and Adidas sports shoes. His wife, Nga, was at home looking after the beauty salon. She had denied him last night again for the intimacy he badly needed after months at sea. Her reason was simple. He had been unfaithful, which she could not have put up with. The best thing for her to do was to keep her own life and he his. It was just that the children were too small she would not divorce him. However, his latest affair with his old classmate, Loan, was unbearable. And the latter must not have been the first, or the last, Nga suspected.
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Chung was sipping the coffee eyeing this poorly dressed sexy girl determined on pressing the cell buttons but not him.
‘Excuse me! What time is it now?’ Mien asked, jerking her head a little to the side towards Chung, reading him with her eyes on the nape.
‘8:30. You’ve got the cell. Why asked?’ Chung replied lingeringly after quickly pulling himself together over the startle.
‘My cell clock seems to have crashed. See? Reads 8:00.’ Mien put forward her iPhone.
‘Uh- huh.’ Chung leaned over smelling her Bvlgari perfume. How sweet. He thought. And charming.
‘Adjust it. Can you do it? Or would you like me to do it for you?’
Chung tried to sound cold and indifferent. You should not sound so eager the first time approaching the prey.
‘That would be sweet of you.’ Sounding like a whisper, Mien passed over the phone, inadvertently touching Chung’s right forearm slightly.
How gentle. Chung pursued.
‘Just a moment.’
‘There you are.’ Chung handed over the device casually trying not to touch any part of the girl’s hand.
You have been caught. I can see that. Mien quietly giggled to herself. These types of men were so predictable. They first tried not to care about you, keeping a straight face for you to fall for them; then when you had got addicted to them they would care to love you and dump you in time. Whatever happened it would be the girl to blame.
‘I loved her not. She fell for me first. It was just a pity love. But then you know I have to live true to my heart. And my heart is somewhere else.’ He would say to your best friend who was eating up all his words and fell real pity for you.
Then the circle expanded until he laughed a silly laugh and walked away with his male friends describing minutely what he had done to you and the other girls from the first pretentiously awkward day until the dump day, comparing one to another proudly calling himself Casanova of the day.
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. Come here often?’
Mien absorbed in the cell again said nothing. Wait boy. Not so fast.
How interesting! I should pretend not to care. Let her be. It will come around when it comes around. Then you would know me and suffer.
Mien bent a little over curved enough to show her bodily contour at the hip, stood up and walked away. She had had her old boss fall that way before. It would never fail. A woman’s curves would be a strong weapon if you knew how to maneuver them.
Wow. This sex bitch. Sensuous. Slim, not thin. Would play well in bed. I would eat you up. However, fishing needs patience.
Better play safe and good boy. Don’t look up and after. You have your own world. That’s your strength and appeal. Don’t care for them. Don’t welcome them so warmly. A Casanova first of all is polite but cold. Don’t show or they would become difficult. That’s rule number one.
Your eyes are not on me, but your mind is. I can read you so easily. Pretend. Pretend. Pretend. This cat and mouse game is so interesting. Let’s bet who will fall first, boy.
Mien waved for a taxi and was gone.
Chung was on the phone instantly.
‘Hello. Talk.’ Curtly. This man sounded worse than he was.
‘Hi. Guitar. Now.’ Chung commanded.
Chung called Trung too.
Five minutes and all three were looking at one another.
‘What’s up, man? The moment on shore and immediately you’re on a chick. Am I right? Otherwise you wouldn’t of called me.’ Hai grunted cheerfully.
Trung looked on waiting. You know this man so well you’d better watch and act sensibly and profitably. They had shared girls before, and any time they did it they got their underwear wrong and put on each other’s piece. ‘Have you washed my underwear? You know, Hai, the last time he mistakenly put on my underwear and I his. It made me itch for a day and I had to beg the chick to ef kei again to come down. His semen is so titillating.’
‘Don’t tell me. He still keeps two pieces of mine.’ Hai turned around in his chair glancing at Chung’s lower midbody. ‘He got excited, man. What’s made you?’
‘Have you been around here lately? There’s this chick with short khakis and crop top and long hair who doesn’t care about the world and keeps keying her cell all morning here. Very sexy. Do you know her? Do you? Pink complexion and birth mark on the round right shoulder? Hey don’t hide her from me. Share, guys.’ Chung spoke at length.
‘Slow down, boy, or you’ll die. There’s nothing like hiding anything from you. We’re a club, right? But really I don’t know any chick around here that answers your description. No. No girl. Trung?’ Hai felt excited too. Care-for-nothing girls are challenging, but when they play they play wild. ‘No. But sounds delicious.’
‘What a story! There’s no girl like that. You were imagining. I’m sure. No. I’ve been around here every single day. Definitely. Did you ef kei Nga last night? You’ve got to be kidding or hallucinated, man.’ Trung rattled on, inside feeling flared up too.
‘No. No kidding. No hallucination. Yes last night failed. Nga slept with the kids. But nothing serious. I can handle her. Now this ch… ch… ch… chick.’ Chung stuttered.
‘Slow down man. You don’t have to worry. If she was here then she’ll be here tomorrow. Come back tomorrow. But you alone. Don’t let her suspect. Trung and I will stay at another table and watch. Ok?’ Hai smiled. He was the most composed guy among the three, and he was strong too. A good mate together in the foursome.
Chung nodded quietly and thoughtfully. He was regretful. He had vaguely wanted to do this alone enjoying the girl all by himself as Mien was so charming. He did not want to share this time. It was that he had wanted some information. But now that Hai and Trung had known about her it would be impossible to keep them out of the game and bed. Ok. There would be time I got her all to myself.
This guy was thinking again and it would not be good. Trung thought. But he was just dumb. If he was able to buy her alone some time, so would Hai and I. They had done it before without Chung’s knowledge. But forget it. Share first and separate later. All parties were good. Let this rich ignorant intelligent man be conceited and die happily.
They parted. It was noon, so Chung went straight home. Then remembering his wife’s frown, he decided to go to Windsor Restaurant for the buffet. The salary he earned from the oilrig was good enough he did not have to calculate much where to eat, and it had been his habit to eat at this restaurant above An Dong Market whenever he wanted to eat alone and think.
Chung chose his usual table by the window where he did not have to look at other customers and could be alone. The food was good enough and he ordered a bottle of imported Heineken. This would taste better and quench your thirst easily. He was actually not thirsty. He was hungry and not for food. He was haunted by the girl at the café. Why? What was in her that appealed to him, made him preoccupied and troubled. Wow. Her not-to-give-a-damn. She did not even glance at him even his shoes or pants or whatsoever. Wow. Was he dead already? Been just a few months away from the city and even a chick would not care to look.
Chung walked to the toilet and looked at himself in the mirror. No. Nothing was wrong about his looks. What was wrong? Last night Nga and he had been out having dinner with her friends and from the look he received from her female friends he knew he was still ok even adorable for a near middle-aged boy. He still kept his workout regular and always wanted sex. Which meant as doctors said he was fit and strong. No. I am no wrong. The girl is. What is wrong with her?
Chung was returning to his table when he stumbled. She was there at his table. What was she doing there? Eating of course. But why here? And why there? No Chung. Calm down. Nothing special. Coincidence. Everybody ate at Windsor. He stared at her. And she was drinking a bottle of imported Heineken. Not his beer of course. The waiter must have taken it away the moment he finished it. It must have been hers.
Chung slowly turned to the food counter with his eyes still on her until somebody cleared their throat reminding him he was blocking their way.
Chung chose another table where he was still able to keep an eye on her and at the same time pretend not to. This girl was so ghostly.
Surprise! Surprise! There you are old boy. You can never hide or escape from me or want to meet me and see me as you want. It’s I that spin you around until you get dizzy and die. I know where you will go in a moment, this afternoon, evening and even where you bed the midnight after today.
Mien walked straight to Chung’s table, picked up a fork on the table, turned around and danced away, seeing no man there. She had changed. Now it was an upper thigh long pink dress where if she bent forward a little over, you might see her underwear, which she did. The fork slipped out of her hand and fell on to the floor. She did bend over, and it satisfied his eyes. What a view! No underwear. Chung got startled when she looked up from where she was and looked straight into his eyes. They said nothing, blank. Blank eyes, no confusion, no feelings, no surprise. It’s just a natural jerk of the eye before she stood up right and walked back to her table.
Are you a demon? A bitch or what? Are you kidding me? Performing in front of Casanova?
Chung looked on indifferently, or so he pretended to. You have to be strong and firm in this situation. Show how manly you are, no care for the chick.
As if nothing had happened, Chung turned his attention to his plate. He finished it and still feeling hungry, he stood up and walked to the counter for another portion, ascertained that she was still there at her table. Wrong. Mien was waiting for him at the soup stand as if she had read his mind that he would go there after the first serving. She was ladling the soup out to her bowl blocking his way. He had to queue waiting for his turn, but all the time he was desiring to reach out and touch her, grab her and bury his hand under her dress. Just a moment and she was gone.
Then as suddenly as she came she was nowhere to be seen when Chung got back to his table and turned his eyes toward her place. It was empty and clean as if no one had been there the whole time. Did she leave and ask the waiter to clear the stuff immediately after she left? No way. It must have taken time. Am I in a dream? He felt like a temperature. Was he seeing things like when he was a little child, seeing things when he had a high fever? Ghostly men and women crawling on the ceiling above the bed he was sharing with his parents.
Chung got his cell out calling Trung and Hai. Then on second thought, he went straight home to bed. A nap would do me good. What’s wrong with me? He tossed around and got up. He went to the small medical cabinet, took a pill, gulped it down with a glass of water and walked back to bed. He gradually got into a deep sleep.
‘Wake up, dad.’ Hung, the six-year-old boy, stroked Chung’s right arm.
‘Yes. Wake up, dad. Play with us. Let’s go swimming.’ Lan, Chung’s four year old daughter, supported her brother and jumped on Chung’s back.
Nga walked in and pushed the kids out. ‘Let your father sleep. He is still tired from the trip.’
‘But he came back yesterday. Today he should be fine.’ Hung yelled.
‘No, no. Come with me. I’ll take you to the swimming pool. Let’s go.’ Nga insisted. What a debaucher! Why mightn’t you die as well out of my sight? I’m sure he must have f..ked some bitch outside. Now exhausted and sleeping like a log. I don’t know how to get out of this fate. What a miserable life! If only I didn’t have the kids. It might have been easier.
Chung’s iPhone sang, ‘My life is lonely, so I am lonely no matter whom I love.’ It sang on for a few times and stopped. Nga ignored it. She had never cared to look into Chung’s cell since the first time she found out about his affair with Loan, whose husband had had her confronted with Chung and himself at the Guitar’s. The man said, ‘Whatever she is like, she is my wife.’ What foolish love!
Nga went downstairs, put two large towels and pieces of the kid’s underwear, applied the sun cream on the daughter, and took the kids to Lam Son Swimming Pool on her Spacy. The afternoon saw less sun light and more kids in action. Hung and Lan changed and got into the pool. Nga watched them from the bench she shared with Mien. She had the whole story retold and felt better. All was on the right track. She told Mien to continue and stood up. She walked to the side of the pool where the kids stopped to rest. Their hands held the small ridge. Nga asked them to swim enough laps and not rest too long. What poor children! Then she went back to the bench. Mien had left. I wish you well, but be careful. Chung is not easy. He had asked a Cambodian shaman to put charm on Loan so that she could not escape from him.
Nga sighed. It was the last resort that she had to turn to. Better not to have a husband and father than to have a bad one. No, not bad. He was subhuman. She had loved Chung like mad when he was introduced as an outstanding graduate from the University of Technology. Marrying him was her triumph over the other girls who were surrounding him like swarms of flies on a piece of fat. But then on the wedding day she caught him in the act of f..king her best friend. She wanted to stop the reception and cancel the marriage, but attributing the bad act to drunkenness, he had talked her into silence. Since then she had had a hunch of doubt about his love and character. Things got worse and worse when they had children. While she was in labors for hours, he was in bed with a young admirer of his in a hotel not far from the hospital. It was Oanh, her cousin, who by chance helping out at the hotel saw him. So careful, Oanh stealthily video recorded their love making in the room and gave her the tape one month after the delivery. Nga had wanted to divorce, but the baby prevented her. She got into depression for months and would have died had it not for the care of the baby. She had to live for the kids.
Chung’s extramarital affairs seemed never to stop also because he did not think that Nga had known about them. She had never said any word about them, but she started to hire people to help. Evidence was plenty enough to ensure a divorce where she could earn custody of the kids. Only she still hesitated for the sake of the kids. They were too small. And it had been four years. Now seemed to be the time.
Nga called Hung and Lan up and took them home. Chung had gone. Nga washed the kids and prepared dinner. Oanh came over and had dinner with them. She talked all the time partly to keep the atmosphere cheerful, and for the kids to feel at ease well. Now Oanh spent more time at Nga’s home than her own. After dinner, Nga kissed the kids, reminded them to be good, promised she would be back home soon and left. She went to Son’s house, their war headquarters.
Everything was ready. All the monitors were on, showing Chung in the room. Why is he so sex addicted?
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Mien left Nga at the swimming pool with a heavy heart. She could never imagine how women could have turned into this wicked. She had seen women fight for jealousy, but to go to extremes like Nga’s, she had never heard of, let alone becoming a comrade-in-arms. Newspapers had sometimes published articles of women taking revenge on their love enemies, but she had never thought it would happen in her sight and with her involvement.
Mien drove her Corrola Altis on to the pavement of Guitar’s and stepped out. She walked up to the table where she had sat in the morning. She had told the waiter when she left to reserve the table for her to use at four in the afternoon. It was ready. She was wearing an upper thigh length black thick silk dress with nothing under. No bra. No underwear. People would see through easily, but who cares? She will very soon get out of this. To kill somebody is an art. Here he comes. Definitely. It is said that predators will return to the prey they have failed to catch. Only this time the predator will fall into the trap.
Chung walked straight to Mien’s table and sat down after excuse me and might I sit here. He was alone although he had promised to Trung and Hai to wait until the following day to act. He was so badly pushed by his libido. I would die tonight if I could not f..k this bitch.
‘Please do not tell me that you are waiting for somebody. Please tell me that it was not you at Windsor this noon. Let me straighten this out. Would you like to go somewhere with me now or not?’
‘You are so rushed. What’s wrong with you? I don’t like men who are too quick. It would not be fun and I wouldn’t achieve any orgasm. Quick men are bed partners. Please find another. I am not your type.’
‘How do you know I am quick? It’s just that I couldn’t bear you seeing through as if I hadn’t been here or there at the restaurant. I can say that we’re of the same type. Let’s come. I’ll show you the place.’
‘Let’s eat first.’
‘Of course. Why not?’ Just in the right order, feed, feel, f..k, and forget. Now the first step. And why so easy? If I have to wait until tomorrow, the guys will join and I will lose this exclusiveness. I will give them a laugh this time. I am a guru now.
Boy. Life is really so easy for you, isn’t it? No wonder your wife is so intent on the retribution. Seems you never stop to think.
Dinh Ky restaurant, braised ox penis, noodle,… Now to the destination.
It was Trung’s three floor house on Quang Pho Street near Tan Son Nhat Airport. The last tenant just moved out two months before, and it had been the landing, or love nest, for the boys. The house was for rent, a source of income together with several others around the city, whereupon Trung needed no work for a living. His parents gave him the right to run the business. It was secretly equipped with tiny cameras to video record all the activities, first of all for security, but then later for the owner’s unhealthy curiosity. Not once had Trung and his friends watched couples making love in different corners of the building. They saved all the movie clips and watched them again as pleased. What they did not know was that the system had been used against them. Nga had had private detectives uncover not only the hideout, but also the CCTV. Then with some tricks they had been able to connect the system to their headquarters.
Chung drove Mien’s car into the front yard and stopped. He reached his hand across and touched her thigh. Mien opened the door and got out, letting his hand wave in the air. He got out, too, feeling a bit frustrated. This girl is tough. Perhaps she likes rough play. I’ll please you then.
Chung opened the door of the house and turned on the light. It was perfect, clean and aromatic.
‘Make yourself at home. But first let’s go upstairs.’ Chung said, reaching out and holding Mien’s left hand, slightly pulling her along with him. You have to be gentle first until she feels good enough. She'll be in; then she’ll be out on orgasm.
That’s good, boy, leading me to your love nest huh. If only you knew what I am thinking and doing for you in a moment. Let him guide you first and then act accordingly.
Chung turned on the bed lamp and walked to the bathroom. Mien looked around. The love nest was perfect. Gentle light, thick bed as high as an average man’s hip, handcuffs at the wall end of the bed, strings hanging from the ceiling with loops at the end where you can keep your feet high for easy entry from the boy. All was clean. A help must have done the job this afternoon. At the other end of the big room was a small bar full of small bottles of wine and beer and glasses hanging down from the lid, and a beige leather sofa and two armchairs of the same material.
Farther to the other side of the bed was the glass bathroom where Chung had entered. You could see anything inside, a bath and shower. You could not see the toilet. It was hidden further inside to the right.
Chung was showering himself displaying his muscular arms and shoulders and hairy chest. He was athletic.
Mien walked, took a glass of water and sat down on the armchair. Where is Nga now? Is she watching us? Hope everything runs smoothly and I can get out of this fast and home. Nam is waiting. If he ever found out about this, he would kill me. Pity for him. I would have loved for him to love me less so that I could breathe more easily. But well, who can tell with men? Today they’re lambs and tomorrow they’ll be evils. Never, ever believe in men. ‘When the ball is still rolling, huh? No the balls. There are two of them.’
How can I get this girl in bed? She has been quiet since she got into the car. Is she afraid or shy? Nah, nah. Not her. The way she speaks, dresses and acts. Oh. After all, she’s only a girl, and girls are like that. Still better to be on the safe side. Think Chung. Think. Why is it so fast? Normally it takes you at least three days to knock down one. Or you have been out of date, old fashioned. Are the girls so easy these days? Is she sick or something? Better use a condom. No. Better be careful. Nah. Nah. F..k and forget.
Chung got out and hummed. ‘You wanna shower? You wanna me bathe and massage you?’
‘Nah, nah. I’m fine. I bathed this afternoon already. Ok. I think I need a little shower. If you could come and help me it would be sweet of you.’
‘More than happy.’ Chung walked to the armchair, bent down, put his hands under and lifted Mien up, touching her face with his and then kissed her cheeks. She closed her eyes and turned her head backward to receive his kiss on the mouth…
Chung felt so relaxed and felt a deep sleep coming onto his body, head and eyes.
So strong and violent. This guy is really not so bad. Pity. Sleep boy. Sleep. Sound sleep.
Mien walked down out the back door a few yards, got into her car and drove away when a masked man entered.
The masked man was in the house and walked upstairs to where Chung was lying in deep sleep. His hands were clever. And he was meticulous. The patient should feel no pain until three hours later. He will feel it then, but he must have felt the lack before and taken measures already. The surgeon cleaned up everything. There were no bloodstains left. The bed sheets were as good as they had been before he entered. The floor was mopped too. The man looked at everything to make sure it was spotless before exiting with the iced box. He opened the back door, slightly kicked it back closed and walked away. The latch failed to catch the hook.
A car was waiting at the corner. The masked man stepped up to it, got in and was driven away. The car drove a long way and around and around through different streets, stopped somewhere and nowhere, continued with its indefinite itinerary and then stopped at another corner twenty kilometers to the far east of the city. The masked man stepped out, shut the door and walked away. The car rolled on, and again through different roads before it stopped at the war headquarters. The driver had ascertained that he had no tails behind.
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Nga opened the door and stepped aside for the man to walk in. He put the iced box on the table, opened it and with Nga, looked inside. Chung’s penis had turned pale with frozen bloodstains. She was able to recognize it. It was really his. She never forgot the birthmark on the glans. Chung had used to be proud of it as fortune tellers said the birthmark would bring in good kids. You might have had a lot from different women. Now you can no more. Now you will live with me forever or never.
‘Come. Lam, let’s go and finish it.’ Lam, the driver, ummed. He was so terrified. Never in his life had he seen a castrated penis iced and frozen. This woman was demoniac. What had the man done to her? He got the motorcycle out and kick started it. Nga got on behind him. They drove around the city and over the Saigon Bridge. They stopped, but there were so many people looking on. They continued around to different streets when they saw a trash collection truck standing by a road, lifting up trash bins into the trunk. They stopped and threw the nylon bag deep into the trunk. It would be crushed in a moment and gone.
Lam drove Nga around and around again and stopped at a café. They walked in and sat a table in a dimly lit corner where she gave him a bunch of cash. She immediately left. The contract had concluded. Trust was the basis. She felt no fear. If anything happened, Lam would be kept liable. Everything had been recorded, filmed, and saved online.
Nga caught a taxi and was home with the kids. They had been asleep. Oanh said goodbye. Nga checked everything before she went to sleep. It had taken quite a while because the checklist was long. They would be gone at least for a year. Tickets had been booked. The packing had been done. The arrangement overseas had also been made. The house by Lake Mendota was an ideal place. It was quiet and secluded. Madison was a safe place to live. Nga tried to review plans for the next day and the day after not to think of Chung, but then found herself again and again get back to him.
Poor man. He must have woken up by now by the tearing pain. Of course, he would not call her. It would be a telltale about his depravity. And he knows she is leaving the country with the kids. Everything had been talked through. They wanted the best for their kids. Living and studying in the US while they were still young would give them the best education. Deep inside, Nga just wanted to get away from Chung while the kids were still small. They would get used to his absence so that later when they divorced they would not suffer from any shock. Chung, of course, as she knew him, would feel too happy to protest. He would have all the time, the house, and money to spend on his conquests. Now that would be destiny mocking at him because he could not f..k any chick any more. Of course, he would call his best friends who would come immediately and would help him although they would be laughing and terrified inside. Would it happen to them one day? A warning. That would be the side effect of the medicine.
Nga got up, awoke the kids, and called a taxi.
Two hours later, they were on the Boeing 777. Nga switched off the cell.
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Noon. Chung turned over and felt something missing and painful between the thighs. He did not feel the usual heavy swell when he lay on it. He must have been in a dream, the smell of drugs. But what dream was this he had never had before feeling lacking in something below? Unconsciously he put his hand down into the underwear and touched some cloth. What’s that? Not the underwear because I have put my hand into the underwear already. Where is my pride? Blurred and felt a little painful he sat up and felt for the bed lamp. He looked down.
Blood and nothing. What’s that? A joke? Where’s the dick? My friends played jokes on me again. Where are you, Trung and Hai? He looked again and found the room empty. Everything looked normal. He looked down again and immediately stood up and doubled down on the floor. He felt a slashing ache. He saw it no more. There was bandage instead. It stopped the bleeding, but the wound kept oozing making the cloth wet with the red liquid. He turned around. Where is the f..king slut? Ouch. It hurts down there. The medical cabinet. Painkillers. Water.
The iPhone. Nga. No. Not her. In this state. Hospital. Doctors. Trung. Hai. Come immediately, urgent, urgent I am dying. Yes, you are always dying for girls. Aha. Aha. Coming. Coming. Be there in ten minutes. Is it so terrible. The agony. Ouch. Better lie down and still. What’s been done to me? Why? Ouch. The whore? What’s her name? Don’t know. Can’t remember. Did she tell? Did you ask? No. Never. You never ask. The four fs. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. The doctors. They can make it. They can reconnect the cut off penis again. Some article said so. I read it somewhere. But I need the severed penis. Where is it? Oh cannot stand up. The refrigerator. Funny. Would they cut it off and put it there for you to put in on back again? Nah. Nah. Ouch. Still. Still. Oh, yeah, the hidden cameras. Ask Trung and Hai to check on them. Yeah. I’ll catch you soon, whore. Ouch. This killing pain.
------------------------
The two best friends at the door were laughing. They rang the bell. No answer. Better wait. He might be f..king some chick. Do not disturb him. He will come out when he comes out. He had shouted at them before, coming and annoying him while he was working hard in bed. Wait. Yeah. Wait. But why’s it too long now?
Trung and Hai walked around the back door and peeped in. The back door was ajar. Strange. And quiet. They looked at each other, tiptoed, and managed to let themselves in and upstairs where the increasing groan echoed.
Chung was in bed looking haggard, face distorted in pain, sweating generously in spite of the cooling system. A blanket was covering the man. Trung and Hai watched him, agape. Never had they seen him in this state. What’s wrong?
Chung looked at Trung and Hai and turned his eyes down below his hip. The friends followed his eyes and stared at the mid-body. He is not joking, sure, with the look. But what’s wrong, man? Surely, his gun was still there and strong. Surely, the super cock was the best of theirs.
Chung turned his head away saying nothing. Trung and Hai hesitated for a moment, walked toward the bed, and pulled the blanket away….
Trung called Binh, his family doctor and close friend.
Binh came urgently as required in ten minutes with his first-aid kit. He suggested calling for an ambulance, but Chung shook his head. He had made a laughingstock of himself already. There should be no more of exhibition. Binh asked to turn on the spotlight, sat down and looked at the wound. He gave Chung a general anesthetic, waited for ten seconds and uncovered the gauze. The man who did this must have been a surgeon, Binh thought. Clean cut, well sutured, sterilized. Perfect penectomy. Nothing he had to do now. The wound would heal in time. Just take medications, wash the lesion daily, and keep it dry. He had better stay in bed, but must turn over from time to time to avoid bedsore. He dressed the cut again, gave Trung a prescription, promised he would come back to check, and left.
Trung and Hai sat down by Chung who was still unconscious. He had a temperature but looked relaxed now. They had to stay by in case.
Hai walked to the sofa. Trung and he were both shocked and terrified. They could not talk to Chung, but judging what had been happening, things seemed to have involved the girl at the Guitar’s. He went upstairs to the second floor where they placed all the machines connected to the hidden cameras. He replayed the camera. There were no recorded video clips of recent happenings. They had been removed or deleted. This had been carefully planned.
There must have been a plot against Chung, against them. Hai felt a chill on his backbone. They had been watched. Who? Why? Had they provoked somebody? Some lady’s husband or boyfriend? Who might have been their enemy? They have tricked so many women, young and old, into their love nest, loved them and ditched them that now he cannot narrow down to any specific guy that might have been the conspirator or conspirators. But surely, they had been aimed at for long. They must have entered this house, done the trick with the recording system and wired it to their place somewhere. It is too late. They must have erased all the tracks.
Hai looked around the room. Everything was as immaculate as before. But they might have been monitored since long. Better to get away from this house. Think hard and return.
Hai went downstairs and quietly talked to Trung who became agitated. He called Binh again. An ambulance? Why? He was fine. Ok. I understand.
Trung and Hai came out in the yard waiting for Binh. Chung had been awake with subdued pain. They tried not to say anything. The house had been ‘haunted’.
The ambulance came. They carried Chung onto the vehicle. All kept quiet. Cannot trust anybody now. They have to keep a low profile for a long long time before they can find out who’s behind all of this.
Think hard, Chung. Think. Just me. What about Trung and Hai? We’re in the same boat. Why only me? The love nest is for all three to use whenever any needs it. All three have keys to the house and all three can come and go any time they want. If somebody has monitored the house all three must have been watched. The target narrowed down to me only. Why me? Anybody specific has hated me? Anybody has ever threatened me? Yeah. Loan’s husband texting, ‘Ten years is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge.’ Him? A teacher? Be careful. I can’t be so sure. I doubt it. Better to watch out until the day I can find out the truth. It might take long. Yeah. The guy was right. It might take ten years even. But that’s a gentleman’s deed. It’s my turn now, man. I swear for how long it might take I will track you down and kill you. But where is the lead? The slut. Yeah. That bitch wearing no underwear. I’ll have you raped and pierced until death. What’ll become of me now? A eunuch? Gosh.
The ambulance took the three friends to Chung’s home, a two-floored apartment of which the ground one was leased as a hair salon. All three remained quiet. They had agreed not to talk out loud. They could not know where they could be safe, not watched or monitored. Were their homes monitored too? Can’t be sure. Where can they feel safe? Better wait until Chung fully recovers and then decide.
-----------------
Mien was at the Guitar’s again. She was wearing the same things as the day before and the other days for the last six months, shorts and a string top. Everything must look normal as if nothing had ever happened. Nothing to fear. No need to change. Hi guys back there with sunglasses in the shade. I have eyes on my nape, so don’t fool me.
Two muscular young men were sitting two tables away back from Mien’s, wearing sunglasses, jeans and T-shirts. They must look like of the same group going somewhere together.
Thirty minutes passed when the two young guys walked to Mien’s place. Excuse us. May we? Uh huh. So you have been watching out for the last thirty minutes, haven’t you? And you both feel safe now. So brave and ignorant. You or your boss should have done more homework. You don’t know us.
What’s your name? What for? Not necessary? Be friends and forget. Call me Hoa if you like but of course, that’s not my name. I never give my name to strangers. What about yours? Cuong and Dung. Are you around here? Yes of course. You look so cute. Why not have some fun? Why not? I am available. Where? Wherever you like. You suggest. Our place near here. Ok. We have the whole day. Let’s have some breakfast first, and we can go. Ok. Must get prepared. To wrestle with these duds requires a little brain and brawn.
Mien, Dung and Cuong got onto the motorbike Cuong had taken out from the bike park. Mien sat wedged between the men. You want to control me, don’t you?
The motorbike drove around the block to Nguyen Trai Street and headed towards Phu Lam. It stopped at a villa on Phan Duc Huy Street. Wow. Impressive. Yours? Yeah. Cuong’s. What would you like to drink? Just plain water please. Want to watch something. Yeah, something exciting. Would you mind the filming? No, not at all. What can you be up to? Now come, girl, let’s play. Ok. Want some handcuffs and strings. Why not?
Mien was handcuffed and tied to the bed in the big hall with all the cameras and lights around. This must be good for a porno clip on lauxanh.us. Mien could not do anything now. Four more men walked into the room.
‘Remember me, slut?’ Chung asked, slapped Mien hard in the face. Shit. You have to pay me more for this. What a job!
‘Yeah, why?’ Mien sounded innocently. I knew there would be this day. Why do I have to suffer this, man?
‘Do not tell me you are innocent. Tell me, bitch, who’s behind all of this?’ Chung muffled his angry voice.
You seem to have started to sound more like women’s voice now, pal. Have you started to like your male friends, Trung or Hai, or the two handsome muscular young duds? You must have. When a man’s tool does not work in the right place it will work in another proper place. Ha! Ha!
There was commotion outside the doors. Chung paused in his step and looked around. The door was pounded open, and ten bulky men entered. All wore masks. They spread throughout the room, two blocking by Chung’s sides. One stepped up to Mien and released her.
‘Why did it take you too long? You have to pay more for the slap.’ Mien shouted. She walked to where Chung stood between the two new comers. She bent down a little bit forward and flung a backward kick against his face throwing him stumbling to the ground. When he stood up and barely got to his balance, she jumped up, hooked his face up from below with her right foot and landed him with an elbow on his nape when he tried to stand up straight again. Chung lay lifeless.
Nobody moved.
‘Stay away from her.’ Said a masked guy. ‘One more time and you’re all dead.’
Before Trung, and Hai and the two handsome boys could utter a word or do anything, they found themselves beaten to unconscious with a shower of punches, kicks and elbows from the tough muscular guys surrounding them.
Mien and the men left. All the cameras and other equipment had all been broken to pieces. A memorable life lesson for all Chung’s men. Now they could be sure that Chung and his friends would dive deep forever. They would not know which was which, who was who and what would be waiting for them if they should ever come close to Mien again.
The men dropped Mien at the Guitar’s and drove away. She walked to her car, got in and rolled out. She travelled for forty minutes to Tran Nao Street, District Two and pulled into the garage of her villa. The help was preparing lunch, and her husband Nam was waiting for her in the lounge. He should not know anything. Pretending not to know he was there, she went straight to the bathroom and got into the bathtub. She reached out to the intercom and told the help to tell her husband she was tired, needed a rest and would eat later.
Nam entered the bathroom and looked at her lying asleep in the tub full of bubbles. He walked back to the dining room and ate alone. They had not been happy for a year because they could not have children. They had been to Tu Du Hospital for years to no avail. Money was not important for them, and both were in good health. The point was her body rejected his sperm, and she could not get pregnant. They both grew depressed, and he encouraged her to go out more to find relief. He himself got so much immersed in his furniture business that he could do away with time. Poor her. The consoling thing was they were still faithful or as far as he could remember there had been nothing wrong with their sex life. They satisfied each other well whenever they made love. He would not worry about her, nor would he think she should worry about him although he had lots of charming young girls around him as boss of an expanding company. The exports were doing profitably.
Nam called Mr Truong and asked him to go out for a drink at night. They needed to discuss the new deal with COC, the American company that Mr Truong had introduced. He would have some shares in the joint corporation, but how much. As a governmental official, Mr Truong did not earn much. Most income came from backing up companies and helping them get through the bureaucracy quickly. Either way companies had to pay, but having an insider who knew what was happening in the government regarding economic policies and recommending them to foreign companies for business was essential in trading nowadays.
‘What’s up man?’ Mr Truong asked condescendingly. Dealing with these business people you had to be smart as they were very resourceful and would know what you thought in mind.
They were at Ngoc Suong restaurant. They should not show off at more luxury restaurants like Park Hyatt, Caravelle, or the likes. A middle class one like this was better. It was just a social call.
‘You know it already, Brother Ba. It’s COC. I want to give you one third of the shares I have with them. What do you think?’ Ok. Eat just a little and eat long. That’s the motto.
‘Oh. Don’t worry. Whatever is ok for me. How can I thank you?’
‘No, no. We’re brothers. Right?’
‘Alright. Two months after next, the prime minister is traveling to Europe on an invitation of England, France, Holland and Germany. I think if you could finance the trip you would be invited. Would be a great opportunity to expand your connections over there. He would recommend your company as a state backed one and you could sign some contracts then although I think the quality is something you have to get concerned about.’
‘Thank you for the info, brother.’ Lam raised his glass toward Mr Truong. This would deserve another envelope. A thousand dollars would be fine. Wow. I need this. What a night!
Nam and Mr Truong finished the light dinner and said goodbye. There was a lot to do now.
Back a home Lam immediately called Sang, the secretary. Meeting tomorrow. Checklists and preparation.
When he finished, it was midnight. He showered, walked to the bedroom and got into the bed to hug Mien. She turned over to receive his kiss.
Nam fell to a deep sleep quickly after he came.
Mien walked down to the kitchen to find something to eat. She needed a long rest. For the last six months, she had been sitting at the Guitar’s to lure Chung and his friends. They were just small fish to catch. Although it was not worth the money, a contract was a contract and you had to conclude it. The point was to confuse the men so that they did not know who was behind all their sufferings. It had worked. Nga had safely hidden away in America. The protection was perfect. The ten-year-old service had been doing well. She would take a rest now and prepare for the next client.
Mien underestimated Chung.
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A small village at Bạc Liêu, two cocks were fighting vigorously with men, young and old, cheering on noisily around. One boy was standing a little farther away, nearer to the loose gate watching the winding path leading up to several small huts next to a pagoda at the dead-end. His duty was clear, looking out for any sign of police. He would signal and the crowd would disperse. To reach the place, one had to walk narrow earth roads that despite being winding they had little vegetation, making it visible whoever appeared.
Next to the pagoda was a small thatched house Chung every now and then reluctantly visited. Only one man lived in the house. He used to be a monk who had learned all the doctrines of Buddhism, but inclined more to the dark side using charms or magic to his own benefits, he decided one day to take off the monk’s robe and put on the brown pajamas continuing consulting clients who came to the pagoda for prayers and to him for magic. He had been popular with the visitors to the pagoda as a resourceful novice. He could cure diseases especially those inflicted by ghosts. As he said, there are two kinds of illness, one caused by physical elements which have to be treated with regular medications and the other by wandering ghosts treated flexibly by charms, mantras or magic. Chung called him Master.
Regretting being so cocky about his ability and not having contacted the Master before acting, Chung humbly begged the latter for help. He was mildly reprimanded and asked to bring along the picture, name and birthday of the enemy, and big money. Chung complied unquestionably, determinedly longing to avenge on himself.
The Master murmured the magic word, drawing on the effigy, and then stabbed the dagger into the chest. Chung was watching intensely. This was supposed to cause lethal pain to Mien, his life enemy. It would not kill, but she would never live in peace. The suffering would be lifetime, and she would certainly wish for death because no physician could cure that piercing ache. Wow! It was worth the money. These days saints and demons seem to have been making lots of profits. But damn! I will have what I want. I have lost all my masculine energy, so I will avenge myself on all the world if it is my enemy. No mercy. No more.
Ten kilometers across the city, Mien woke up with an acute chest pain. As if somebody was stabbing it. She felt scared. What’s wrong? I am still young and work out regularly. She doubled herself and was sick. She fell over on the mattress and grabbed the cell.
FV Hospital, the best one in Ho Chi Minh City, failed to put forward a conclusive diagnosis. Painkillers did not weaken the symptoms. Surgery was out of the question as there was nothing to operate on. The hospital recommended flying to Singapore. Mien and Lam did as advised, but again it was in vain.
‘What is wrong?’ ‘Do you remember having been eating or doing something around the time you started this pain?’ Asked Lam.
Silent.
‘Sorry.’ Lam said thoughtfully.
Every connection has been consulted. Doctors are helpless. Mien cannot live on sleeping pills forever. What can I do?
Lam had cancelled all the business trips in and outside of the country. He had called Mr Truong who sounded sympathetic over the phone, but immediately after hanging up the phone, invited Doanh, Lam’s rival, to take Lam’s place on the trip with the ministers abroad. Somebody had to bear the costs of the entourage. Lam knew it, but he could not change the situation. He would make up for that later after Mien’s recovery. But it seemed never to come.
‘Hello, is that Mom?’
‘Yes. What’s up? Are you ok, son? What’s wrong?’ Madam Chieu would never expect anything good from her son. Lam only called her in needy situations. There might have been a car accident, and he needed a hand to care for the sick. When he started the business, it must have been the need of a big sum of money. Everything would be fine in her hands. She had been able to help him out.
‘My wife. She’s been down with a terrible chest pain and doctors cannot do anything. I took her to FV Hospital and to Sing, but they failed. Mom, you got to help me.’ Lam cried.
‘Calm down. Everything can be solved. Trust me. Let me think for a minute.’ Madam Chieu said calmly and hung up. Symptoms are there, but doctors have failed. There must be only one thing, ghosts or spells. Somebody has performed the Black Sacrament on her daughter-in-law. She had suffered from this before and it took another equally powerful sorcerer to dispel the incantation. This can be done easily; however, Mien is a flirtatious rebellious girl. Why don’t I take advantage of this incident and tie her up forever to my son? She made a phone call.
‘Hello, Master. How are you? It’s been long I have not been able to visit you. Can I have an appointment with you?’
(to be continued)
‘Ok. When?’ The Master replied. The world is so small. I cast the spell on this girl for a party and then uncast it for another. How ridiculous! I’m gonna be crazy soon. I’d break my own spell. This morning he had had a hunch, so he had used radiesthesia and asked if somebody would come for something. The answer yes had led to this dilemma and he could not say no to this powerful woman. He reached out for the phone.
‘Hey, boy. Come. I have something for you to do.’
(to be continued)
He went into his first floor room, lay down and pretended to sleep. He waited for fifteen minutes. The rat must have traveled down to the kitchen. He got up, moved all the mattresses, blankets, pillows, … up to the third floor. The room must be empty for easy attack. He took the white board down from the wall and put it at the lower end of the second stairs blocking the way upstairs to the third floor. The rat would have only one way to go, the first floor room. The windows and the door at the front of the first room had been closed earlier already. He walked out and left the door to the stairs wide open. He went down to the ground floor, opened the front door, took the broom, and closed the door. Now action.
Ý walked to the fridge and slightly hit it, poking the broomstick behind the icebox to stir the rat out. The animal ran out and upstairs, and of course into the first floor room. Ý ran quickly upstairs after it. He entered the room and closed the door behind him. He turned on the lights. He looked around and spotted the pest hiding behind the curtain. He walked and poked the stick straight at it. The large mouse ran out to another corner under the TV cabinet. He pushed the stick under the cabinet and the rat ran out to another corner. Quickly he hit it hard on the back. It was heavy. The mouse paused and ran on but slowly now. He showered the animal with the caning. It fell dead all the time crawling on as hard as it could. He went downstairs and came up again with a nylon bag and a pair of tongs. He picked up the animal, put it in the bag, carried it downstairs and put it outside the door. He walked back in upstairs, opened all the doors and windows, picked up the mop, cleaned up the room, the windows, all the blood… very hard and meticulously. He soaped the mop and cleaned the room again, the floor, the window, the blood, … very thoroughly. He repeated the action and all. Blood carried viruses. He walked down the ground floor, out and picked up the bag with the dead rat inside. He put the mop and the rat bag inside a bigger bag and picked up the battered broom, and, with all in two hands, he walked out to the street, across it and put all of the stuff in the big trash bin on the other side of the street.
Ý walked back home, into the house, and sat on the ground floor for half hour before going upstairs and into the room and prepared everything for bed. His family had been asleep all the time upstairs on the second floor, doors and windows closed. All the noise had been controlled well so that nobody would have been woken up. A perfect battle.
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Guitar Café’s ground floor was elevated half a level higher than that of the neighbor’s to make some room for a basement used as a bike park. To get cool, patrons might get inside of the air-conditioned glass room; however, they could not enjoy the fresh air outside among the trees planted neatly along the brown wooden and black iron tables and chairs and where they could also enjoy the pleasant feelings of being idle and watching the hustle and bustle of city life with heavy traffic just a little far down below. Many chose outdoors.
Mid-morning half of the café was empty. Some young people were smoking and laughing about their late night activities. Some middle-aged couples, wearing Adidas outfits with badminton rackets leant against the wall, sitting by the edge of the yard sipping coffee, chatted happily along the noise of the vehicles on the street.
Mien propped her long legs across onto the other chair of the table keying the iPhone nimbly. She was in a good mood. Having decided to make herself look lazy and cool with short light khakis and crop top, she was intent on wooing the boy today.
Possessing an angular face with high cheekbones, a pink complexion, naturally thin eyebrows and curly eyelashes, Mien did not think she had to wear any make-up. Natural looks nowadays knocked down guys more quickly than sophisticated masks. Her leather two-string sandals would show her sensual simplicity too, purposefully. The only femininity more prominent in her escape was her long smooth black hair which she just let fly down in a stream tied loosely at the nape showing a beauty mark farther to the round right shoulder.
Next to her table was the thirty-something-year-old guy that Mien had already been introduced via the Internet. His name was Chung. One hundred seventy five centimeters tall, he had the manly look girls fell for, with muscular arms and shoulders, a tanned complexion and a little rough weather beaten face he had acquired during the floating days he spent on the oil rig far away offshore Vung Tau in the mid-ocean. He was on his two-week quarterly leave now, smartly dressed with Levi’s and Burberry, a golden Rolex on the left wrist and Adidas sports shoes. His wife, Nga, was at home looking after the beauty salon. She had denied him last night again for the intimacy he badly needed after months at sea. Her reason was simple. He had been unfaithful, which she could not have put up with. The best thing for her to do was to keep her own life and he his. It was just that the children were too small she would not divorce him. However, his latest affair with his old classmate, Loan, was unbearable. And the latter must not have been the first, or the last, Nga suspected.
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Chung was sipping the coffee eyeing this poorly dressed sexy girl determined on pressing the cell buttons but not him.
‘Excuse me! What time is it now?’ Mien asked, jerking her head a little to the side towards Chung, reading him with her eyes on the nape.
‘8:30. You’ve got the cell. Why asked?’ Chung replied lingeringly after quickly pulling himself together over the startle.
‘My cell clock seems to have crashed. See? Reads 8:00.’ Mien put forward her iPhone.
‘Uh- huh.’ Chung leaned over smelling her Bvlgari perfume. How sweet. He thought. And charming.
‘Adjust it. Can you do it? Or would you like me to do it for you?’
Chung tried to sound cold and indifferent. You should not sound so eager the first time approaching the prey.
‘That would be sweet of you.’ Sounding like a whisper, Mien passed over the phone, inadvertently touching Chung’s right forearm slightly.
How gentle. Chung pursued.
‘Just a moment.’
‘There you are.’ Chung handed over the device casually trying not to touch any part of the girl’s hand.
You have been caught. I can see that. Mien quietly giggled to herself. These types of men were so predictable. They first tried not to care about you, keeping a straight face for you to fall for them; then when you had got addicted to them they would care to love you and dump you in time. Whatever happened it would be the girl to blame.
‘I loved her not. She fell for me first. It was just a pity love. But then you know I have to live true to my heart. And my heart is somewhere else.’ He would say to your best friend who was eating up all his words and fell real pity for you.
Then the circle expanded until he laughed a silly laugh and walked away with his male friends describing minutely what he had done to you and the other girls from the first pretentiously awkward day until the dump day, comparing one to another proudly calling himself Casanova of the day.
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. Come here often?’
Mien absorbed in the cell again said nothing. Wait boy. Not so fast.
How interesting! I should pretend not to care. Let her be. It will come around when it comes around. Then you would know me and suffer.
Mien bent a little over curved enough to show her bodily contour at the hip, stood up and walked away. She had had her old boss fall that way before. It would never fail. A woman’s curves would be a strong weapon if you knew how to maneuver them.
Wow. This sex bitch. Sensuous. Slim, not thin. Would play well in bed. I would eat you up. However, fishing needs patience.
Better play safe and good boy. Don’t look up and after. You have your own world. That’s your strength and appeal. Don’t care for them. Don’t welcome them so warmly. A Casanova first of all is polite but cold. Don’t show or they would become difficult. That’s rule number one.
Your eyes are not on me, but your mind is. I can read you so easily. Pretend. Pretend. Pretend. This cat and mouse game is so interesting. Let’s bet who will fall first, boy.
Mien waved for a taxi and was gone.
Chung was on the phone instantly.
‘Hello. Talk.’ Curtly. This man sounded worse than he was.
‘Hi. Guitar. Now.’ Chung commanded.
Chung called Trung too.
Five minutes and all three were looking at one another.
‘What’s up, man? The moment on shore and immediately you’re on a chick. Am I right? Otherwise you wouldn’t of called me.’ Hai grunted cheerfully.
Trung looked on waiting. You know this man so well you’d better watch and act sensibly and profitably. They had shared girls before, and any time they did it they got their underwear wrong and put on each other’s piece. ‘Have you washed my underwear? You know, Hai, the last time he mistakenly put on my underwear and I his. It made me itch for a day and I had to beg the chick to ef kei again to come down. His semen is so titillating.’
‘Don’t tell me. He still keeps two pieces of mine.’ Hai turned around in his chair glancing at Chung’s lower midbody. ‘He got excited, man. What’s made you?’
‘Have you been around here lately? There’s this chick with short khakis and crop top and long hair who doesn’t care about the world and keeps keying her cell all morning here. Very sexy. Do you know her? Do you? Pink complexion and birth mark on the round right shoulder? Hey don’t hide her from me. Share, guys.’ Chung spoke at length.
‘Slow down, boy, or you’ll die. There’s nothing like hiding anything from you. We’re a club, right? But really I don’t know any chick around here that answers your description. No. No girl. Trung?’ Hai felt excited too. Care-for-nothing girls are challenging, but when they play they play wild. ‘No. But sounds delicious.’
‘What a story! There’s no girl like that. You were imagining. I’m sure. No. I’ve been around here every single day. Definitely. Did you ef kei Nga last night? You’ve got to be kidding or hallucinated, man.’ Trung rattled on, inside feeling flared up too.
‘No. No kidding. No hallucination. Yes last night failed. Nga slept with the kids. But nothing serious. I can handle her. Now this ch… ch… ch… chick.’ Chung stuttered.
‘Slow down man. You don’t have to worry. If she was here then she’ll be here tomorrow. Come back tomorrow. But you alone. Don’t let her suspect. Trung and I will stay at another table and watch. Ok?’ Hai smiled. He was the most composed guy among the three, and he was strong too. A good mate together in the foursome.
Chung nodded quietly and thoughtfully. He was regretful. He had vaguely wanted to do this alone enjoying the girl all by himself as Mien was so charming. He did not want to share this time. It was that he had wanted some information. But now that Hai and Trung had known about her it would be impossible to keep them out of the game and bed. Ok. There would be time I got her all to myself.
This guy was thinking again and it would not be good. Trung thought. But he was just dumb. If he was able to buy her alone some time, so would Hai and I. They had done it before without Chung’s knowledge. But forget it. Share first and separate later. All parties were good. Let this rich ignorant intelligent man be conceited and die happily.
They parted. It was noon, so Chung went straight home. Then remembering his wife’s frown, he decided to go to Windsor Restaurant for the buffet. The salary he earned from the oilrig was good enough he did not have to calculate much where to eat, and it had been his habit to eat at this restaurant above An Dong Market whenever he wanted to eat alone and think.
Chung chose his usual table by the window where he did not have to look at other customers and could be alone. The food was good enough and he ordered a bottle of imported Heineken. This would taste better and quench your thirst easily. He was actually not thirsty. He was hungry and not for food. He was haunted by the girl at the café. Why? What was in her that appealed to him, made him preoccupied and troubled. Wow. Her not-to-give-a-damn. She did not even glance at him even his shoes or pants or whatsoever. Wow. Was he dead already? Been just a few months away from the city and even a chick would not care to look.
Chung walked to the toilet and looked at himself in the mirror. No. Nothing was wrong about his looks. What was wrong? Last night Nga and he had been out having dinner with her friends and from the look he received from her female friends he knew he was still ok even adorable for a near middle-aged boy. He still kept his workout regular and always wanted sex. Which meant as doctors said he was fit and strong. No. I am no wrong. The girl is. What is wrong with her?
Chung was returning to his table when he stumbled. She was there at his table. What was she doing there? Eating of course. But why here? And why there? No Chung. Calm down. Nothing special. Coincidence. Everybody ate at Windsor. He stared at her. And she was drinking a bottle of imported Heineken. Not his beer of course. The waiter must have taken it away the moment he finished it. It must have been hers.
Chung slowly turned to the food counter with his eyes still on her until somebody cleared their throat reminding him he was blocking their way.
Chung chose another table where he was still able to keep an eye on her and at the same time pretend not to. This girl was so ghostly.
Surprise! Surprise! There you are old boy. You can never hide or escape from me or want to meet me and see me as you want. It’s I that spin you around until you get dizzy and die. I know where you will go in a moment, this afternoon, evening and even where you bed the midnight after today.
Mien walked straight to Chung’s table, picked up a fork on the table, turned around and danced away, seeing no man there. She had changed. Now it was an upper thigh long pink dress where if she bent forward a little over, you might see her underwear, which she did. The fork slipped out of her hand and fell on to the floor. She did bend over, and it satisfied his eyes. What a view! No underwear. Chung got startled when she looked up from where she was and looked straight into his eyes. They said nothing, blank. Blank eyes, no confusion, no feelings, no surprise. It’s just a natural jerk of the eye before she stood up right and walked back to her table.
Are you a demon? A bitch or what? Are you kidding me? Performing in front of Casanova?
Chung looked on indifferently, or so he pretended to. You have to be strong and firm in this situation. Show how manly you are, no care for the chick.
As if nothing had happened, Chung turned his attention to his plate. He finished it and still feeling hungry, he stood up and walked to the counter for another portion, ascertained that she was still there at her table. Wrong. Mien was waiting for him at the soup stand as if she had read his mind that he would go there after the first serving. She was ladling the soup out to her bowl blocking his way. He had to queue waiting for his turn, but all the time he was desiring to reach out and touch her, grab her and bury his hand under her dress. Just a moment and she was gone.
Then as suddenly as she came she was nowhere to be seen when Chung got back to his table and turned his eyes toward her place. It was empty and clean as if no one had been there the whole time. Did she leave and ask the waiter to clear the stuff immediately after she left? No way. It must have taken time. Am I in a dream? He felt like a temperature. Was he seeing things like when he was a little child, seeing things when he had a high fever? Ghostly men and women crawling on the ceiling above the bed he was sharing with his parents.
Chung got his cell out calling Trung and Hai. Then on second thought, he went straight home to bed. A nap would do me good. What’s wrong with me? He tossed around and got up. He went to the small medical cabinet, took a pill, gulped it down with a glass of water and walked back to bed. He gradually got into a deep sleep.
‘Wake up, dad.’ Hung, the six-year-old boy, stroked Chung’s right arm.
‘Yes. Wake up, dad. Play with us. Let’s go swimming.’ Lan, Chung’s four year old daughter, supported her brother and jumped on Chung’s back.
Nga walked in and pushed the kids out. ‘Let your father sleep. He is still tired from the trip.’
‘But he came back yesterday. Today he should be fine.’ Hung yelled.
‘No, no. Come with me. I’ll take you to the swimming pool. Let’s go.’ Nga insisted. What a debaucher! Why mightn’t you die as well out of my sight? I’m sure he must have f..ked some bitch outside. Now exhausted and sleeping like a log. I don’t know how to get out of this fate. What a miserable life! If only I didn’t have the kids. It might have been easier.
Chung’s iPhone sang, ‘My life is lonely, so I am lonely no matter whom I love.’ It sang on for a few times and stopped. Nga ignored it. She had never cared to look into Chung’s cell since the first time she found out about his affair with Loan, whose husband had had her confronted with Chung and himself at the Guitar’s. The man said, ‘Whatever she is like, she is my wife.’ What foolish love!
Nga went downstairs, put two large towels and pieces of the kid’s underwear, applied the sun cream on the daughter, and took the kids to Lam Son Swimming Pool on her Spacy. The afternoon saw less sun light and more kids in action. Hung and Lan changed and got into the pool. Nga watched them from the bench she shared with Mien. She had the whole story retold and felt better. All was on the right track. She told Mien to continue and stood up. She walked to the side of the pool where the kids stopped to rest. Their hands held the small ridge. Nga asked them to swim enough laps and not rest too long. What poor children! Then she went back to the bench. Mien had left. I wish you well, but be careful. Chung is not easy. He had asked a Cambodian shaman to put charm on Loan so that she could not escape from him.
Nga sighed. It was the last resort that she had to turn to. Better not to have a husband and father than to have a bad one. No, not bad. He was subhuman. She had loved Chung like mad when he was introduced as an outstanding graduate from the University of Technology. Marrying him was her triumph over the other girls who were surrounding him like swarms of flies on a piece of fat. But then on the wedding day she caught him in the act of f..king her best friend. She wanted to stop the reception and cancel the marriage, but attributing the bad act to drunkenness, he had talked her into silence. Since then she had had a hunch of doubt about his love and character. Things got worse and worse when they had children. While she was in labors for hours, he was in bed with a young admirer of his in a hotel not far from the hospital. It was Oanh, her cousin, who by chance helping out at the hotel saw him. So careful, Oanh stealthily video recorded their love making in the room and gave her the tape one month after the delivery. Nga had wanted to divorce, but the baby prevented her. She got into depression for months and would have died had it not for the care of the baby. She had to live for the kids.
Chung’s extramarital affairs seemed never to stop also because he did not think that Nga had known about them. She had never said any word about them, but she started to hire people to help. Evidence was plenty enough to ensure a divorce where she could earn custody of the kids. Only she still hesitated for the sake of the kids. They were too small. And it had been four years. Now seemed to be the time.
Nga called Hung and Lan up and took them home. Chung had gone. Nga washed the kids and prepared dinner. Oanh came over and had dinner with them. She talked all the time partly to keep the atmosphere cheerful, and for the kids to feel at ease well. Now Oanh spent more time at Nga’s home than her own. After dinner, Nga kissed the kids, reminded them to be good, promised she would be back home soon and left. She went to Son’s house, their war headquarters.
Everything was ready. All the monitors were on, showing Chung in the room. Why is he so sex addicted?
-----------------
Mien left Nga at the swimming pool with a heavy heart. She could never imagine how women could have turned into this wicked. She had seen women fight for jealousy, but to go to extremes like Nga’s, she had never heard of, let alone becoming a comrade-in-arms. Newspapers had sometimes published articles of women taking revenge on their love enemies, but she had never thought it would happen in her sight and with her involvement.
Mien drove her Corrola Altis on to the pavement of Guitar’s and stepped out. She walked up to the table where she had sat in the morning. She had told the waiter when she left to reserve the table for her to use at four in the afternoon. It was ready. She was wearing an upper thigh length black thick silk dress with nothing under. No bra. No underwear. People would see through easily, but who cares? She will very soon get out of this. To kill somebody is an art. Here he comes. Definitely. It is said that predators will return to the prey they have failed to catch. Only this time the predator will fall into the trap.
Chung walked straight to Mien’s table and sat down after excuse me and might I sit here. He was alone although he had promised to Trung and Hai to wait until the following day to act. He was so badly pushed by his libido. I would die tonight if I could not f..k this bitch.
‘Please do not tell me that you are waiting for somebody. Please tell me that it was not you at Windsor this noon. Let me straighten this out. Would you like to go somewhere with me now or not?’
‘You are so rushed. What’s wrong with you? I don’t like men who are too quick. It would not be fun and I wouldn’t achieve any orgasm. Quick men are bed partners. Please find another. I am not your type.’
‘How do you know I am quick? It’s just that I couldn’t bear you seeing through as if I hadn’t been here or there at the restaurant. I can say that we’re of the same type. Let’s come. I’ll show you the place.’
‘Let’s eat first.’
‘Of course. Why not?’ Just in the right order, feed, feel, f..k, and forget. Now the first step. And why so easy? If I have to wait until tomorrow, the guys will join and I will lose this exclusiveness. I will give them a laugh this time. I am a guru now.
Boy. Life is really so easy for you, isn’t it? No wonder your wife is so intent on the retribution. Seems you never stop to think.
Dinh Ky restaurant, braised ox penis, noodle,… Now to the destination.
It was Trung’s three floor house on Quang Pho Street near Tan Son Nhat Airport. The last tenant just moved out two months before, and it had been the landing, or love nest, for the boys. The house was for rent, a source of income together with several others around the city, whereupon Trung needed no work for a living. His parents gave him the right to run the business. It was secretly equipped with tiny cameras to video record all the activities, first of all for security, but then later for the owner’s unhealthy curiosity. Not once had Trung and his friends watched couples making love in different corners of the building. They saved all the movie clips and watched them again as pleased. What they did not know was that the system had been used against them. Nga had had private detectives uncover not only the hideout, but also the CCTV. Then with some tricks they had been able to connect the system to their headquarters.
Chung drove Mien’s car into the front yard and stopped. He reached his hand across and touched her thigh. Mien opened the door and got out, letting his hand wave in the air. He got out, too, feeling a bit frustrated. This girl is tough. Perhaps she likes rough play. I’ll please you then.
Chung opened the door of the house and turned on the light. It was perfect, clean and aromatic.
‘Make yourself at home. But first let’s go upstairs.’ Chung said, reaching out and holding Mien’s left hand, slightly pulling her along with him. You have to be gentle first until she feels good enough. She'll be in; then she’ll be out on orgasm.
That’s good, boy, leading me to your love nest huh. If only you knew what I am thinking and doing for you in a moment. Let him guide you first and then act accordingly.
Chung turned on the bed lamp and walked to the bathroom. Mien looked around. The love nest was perfect. Gentle light, thick bed as high as an average man’s hip, handcuffs at the wall end of the bed, strings hanging from the ceiling with loops at the end where you can keep your feet high for easy entry from the boy. All was clean. A help must have done the job this afternoon. At the other end of the big room was a small bar full of small bottles of wine and beer and glasses hanging down from the lid, and a beige leather sofa and two armchairs of the same material.
Farther to the other side of the bed was the glass bathroom where Chung had entered. You could see anything inside, a bath and shower. You could not see the toilet. It was hidden further inside to the right.
Chung was showering himself displaying his muscular arms and shoulders and hairy chest. He was athletic.
Mien walked, took a glass of water and sat down on the armchair. Where is Nga now? Is she watching us? Hope everything runs smoothly and I can get out of this fast and home. Nam is waiting. If he ever found out about this, he would kill me. Pity for him. I would have loved for him to love me less so that I could breathe more easily. But well, who can tell with men? Today they’re lambs and tomorrow they’ll be evils. Never, ever believe in men. ‘When the ball is still rolling, huh? No the balls. There are two of them.’
How can I get this girl in bed? She has been quiet since she got into the car. Is she afraid or shy? Nah, nah. Not her. The way she speaks, dresses and acts. Oh. After all, she’s only a girl, and girls are like that. Still better to be on the safe side. Think Chung. Think. Why is it so fast? Normally it takes you at least three days to knock down one. Or you have been out of date, old fashioned. Are the girls so easy these days? Is she sick or something? Better use a condom. No. Better be careful. Nah. Nah. F..k and forget.
Chung got out and hummed. ‘You wanna shower? You wanna me bathe and massage you?’
‘Nah, nah. I’m fine. I bathed this afternoon already. Ok. I think I need a little shower. If you could come and help me it would be sweet of you.’
‘More than happy.’ Chung walked to the armchair, bent down, put his hands under and lifted Mien up, touching her face with his and then kissed her cheeks. She closed her eyes and turned her head backward to receive his kiss on the mouth…
Chung felt so relaxed and felt a deep sleep coming onto his body, head and eyes.
So strong and violent. This guy is really not so bad. Pity. Sleep boy. Sleep. Sound sleep.
Mien walked down out the back door a few yards, got into her car and drove away when a masked man entered.
The masked man was in the house and walked upstairs to where Chung was lying in deep sleep. His hands were clever. And he was meticulous. The patient should feel no pain until three hours later. He will feel it then, but he must have felt the lack before and taken measures already. The surgeon cleaned up everything. There were no bloodstains left. The bed sheets were as good as they had been before he entered. The floor was mopped too. The man looked at everything to make sure it was spotless before exiting with the iced box. He opened the back door, slightly kicked it back closed and walked away. The latch failed to catch the hook.
A car was waiting at the corner. The masked man stepped up to it, got in and was driven away. The car drove a long way and around and around through different streets, stopped somewhere and nowhere, continued with its indefinite itinerary and then stopped at another corner twenty kilometers to the far east of the city. The masked man stepped out, shut the door and walked away. The car rolled on, and again through different roads before it stopped at the war headquarters. The driver had ascertained that he had no tails behind.
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Nga opened the door and stepped aside for the man to walk in. He put the iced box on the table, opened it and with Nga, looked inside. Chung’s penis had turned pale with frozen bloodstains. She was able to recognize it. It was really his. She never forgot the birthmark on the glans. Chung had used to be proud of it as fortune tellers said the birthmark would bring in good kids. You might have had a lot from different women. Now you can no more. Now you will live with me forever or never.
‘Come. Lam, let’s go and finish it.’ Lam, the driver, ummed. He was so terrified. Never in his life had he seen a castrated penis iced and frozen. This woman was demoniac. What had the man done to her? He got the motorcycle out and kick started it. Nga got on behind him. They drove around the city and over the Saigon Bridge. They stopped, but there were so many people looking on. They continued around to different streets when they saw a trash collection truck standing by a road, lifting up trash bins into the trunk. They stopped and threw the nylon bag deep into the trunk. It would be crushed in a moment and gone.
Lam drove Nga around and around again and stopped at a café. They walked in and sat a table in a dimly lit corner where she gave him a bunch of cash. She immediately left. The contract had concluded. Trust was the basis. She felt no fear. If anything happened, Lam would be kept liable. Everything had been recorded, filmed, and saved online.
Nga caught a taxi and was home with the kids. They had been asleep. Oanh said goodbye. Nga checked everything before she went to sleep. It had taken quite a while because the checklist was long. They would be gone at least for a year. Tickets had been booked. The packing had been done. The arrangement overseas had also been made. The house by Lake Mendota was an ideal place. It was quiet and secluded. Madison was a safe place to live. Nga tried to review plans for the next day and the day after not to think of Chung, but then found herself again and again get back to him.
Poor man. He must have woken up by now by the tearing pain. Of course, he would not call her. It would be a telltale about his depravity. And he knows she is leaving the country with the kids. Everything had been talked through. They wanted the best for their kids. Living and studying in the US while they were still young would give them the best education. Deep inside, Nga just wanted to get away from Chung while the kids were still small. They would get used to his absence so that later when they divorced they would not suffer from any shock. Chung, of course, as she knew him, would feel too happy to protest. He would have all the time, the house, and money to spend on his conquests. Now that would be destiny mocking at him because he could not f..k any chick any more. Of course, he would call his best friends who would come immediately and would help him although they would be laughing and terrified inside. Would it happen to them one day? A warning. That would be the side effect of the medicine.
Nga got up, awoke the kids, and called a taxi.
Two hours later, they were on the Boeing 777. Nga switched off the cell.
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Noon. Chung turned over and felt something missing and painful between the thighs. He did not feel the usual heavy swell when he lay on it. He must have been in a dream, the smell of drugs. But what dream was this he had never had before feeling lacking in something below? Unconsciously he put his hand down into the underwear and touched some cloth. What’s that? Not the underwear because I have put my hand into the underwear already. Where is my pride? Blurred and felt a little painful he sat up and felt for the bed lamp. He looked down.
Blood and nothing. What’s that? A joke? Where’s the dick? My friends played jokes on me again. Where are you, Trung and Hai? He looked again and found the room empty. Everything looked normal. He looked down again and immediately stood up and doubled down on the floor. He felt a slashing ache. He saw it no more. There was bandage instead. It stopped the bleeding, but the wound kept oozing making the cloth wet with the red liquid. He turned around. Where is the f..king slut? Ouch. It hurts down there. The medical cabinet. Painkillers. Water.
The iPhone. Nga. No. Not her. In this state. Hospital. Doctors. Trung. Hai. Come immediately, urgent, urgent I am dying. Yes, you are always dying for girls. Aha. Aha. Coming. Coming. Be there in ten minutes. Is it so terrible. The agony. Ouch. Better lie down and still. What’s been done to me? Why? Ouch. The whore? What’s her name? Don’t know. Can’t remember. Did she tell? Did you ask? No. Never. You never ask. The four fs. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. The doctors. They can make it. They can reconnect the cut off penis again. Some article said so. I read it somewhere. But I need the severed penis. Where is it? Oh cannot stand up. The refrigerator. Funny. Would they cut it off and put it there for you to put in on back again? Nah. Nah. Ouch. Still. Still. Oh, yeah, the hidden cameras. Ask Trung and Hai to check on them. Yeah. I’ll catch you soon, whore. Ouch. This killing pain.
------------------------
The two best friends at the door were laughing. They rang the bell. No answer. Better wait. He might be f..king some chick. Do not disturb him. He will come out when he comes out. He had shouted at them before, coming and annoying him while he was working hard in bed. Wait. Yeah. Wait. But why’s it too long now?
Trung and Hai walked around the back door and peeped in. The back door was ajar. Strange. And quiet. They looked at each other, tiptoed, and managed to let themselves in and upstairs where the increasing groan echoed.
Chung was in bed looking haggard, face distorted in pain, sweating generously in spite of the cooling system. A blanket was covering the man. Trung and Hai watched him, agape. Never had they seen him in this state. What’s wrong?
Chung looked at Trung and Hai and turned his eyes down below his hip. The friends followed his eyes and stared at the mid-body. He is not joking, sure, with the look. But what’s wrong, man? Surely, his gun was still there and strong. Surely, the super cock was the best of theirs.
Chung turned his head away saying nothing. Trung and Hai hesitated for a moment, walked toward the bed, and pulled the blanket away….
Trung called Binh, his family doctor and close friend.
Binh came urgently as required in ten minutes with his first-aid kit. He suggested calling for an ambulance, but Chung shook his head. He had made a laughingstock of himself already. There should be no more of exhibition. Binh asked to turn on the spotlight, sat down and looked at the wound. He gave Chung a general anesthetic, waited for ten seconds and uncovered the gauze. The man who did this must have been a surgeon, Binh thought. Clean cut, well sutured, sterilized. Perfect penectomy. Nothing he had to do now. The wound would heal in time. Just take medications, wash the lesion daily, and keep it dry. He had better stay in bed, but must turn over from time to time to avoid bedsore. He dressed the cut again, gave Trung a prescription, promised he would come back to check, and left.
Trung and Hai sat down by Chung who was still unconscious. He had a temperature but looked relaxed now. They had to stay by in case.
Hai walked to the sofa. Trung and he were both shocked and terrified. They could not talk to Chung, but judging what had been happening, things seemed to have involved the girl at the Guitar’s. He went upstairs to the second floor where they placed all the machines connected to the hidden cameras. He replayed the camera. There were no recorded video clips of recent happenings. They had been removed or deleted. This had been carefully planned.
There must have been a plot against Chung, against them. Hai felt a chill on his backbone. They had been watched. Who? Why? Had they provoked somebody? Some lady’s husband or boyfriend? Who might have been their enemy? They have tricked so many women, young and old, into their love nest, loved them and ditched them that now he cannot narrow down to any specific guy that might have been the conspirator or conspirators. But surely, they had been aimed at for long. They must have entered this house, done the trick with the recording system and wired it to their place somewhere. It is too late. They must have erased all the tracks.
Hai looked around the room. Everything was as immaculate as before. But they might have been monitored since long. Better to get away from this house. Think hard and return.
Hai went downstairs and quietly talked to Trung who became agitated. He called Binh again. An ambulance? Why? He was fine. Ok. I understand.
Trung and Hai came out in the yard waiting for Binh. Chung had been awake with subdued pain. They tried not to say anything. The house had been ‘haunted’.
The ambulance came. They carried Chung onto the vehicle. All kept quiet. Cannot trust anybody now. They have to keep a low profile for a long long time before they can find out who’s behind all of this.
Think hard, Chung. Think. Just me. What about Trung and Hai? We’re in the same boat. Why only me? The love nest is for all three to use whenever any needs it. All three have keys to the house and all three can come and go any time they want. If somebody has monitored the house all three must have been watched. The target narrowed down to me only. Why me? Anybody specific has hated me? Anybody has ever threatened me? Yeah. Loan’s husband texting, ‘Ten years is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge.’ Him? A teacher? Be careful. I can’t be so sure. I doubt it. Better to watch out until the day I can find out the truth. It might take long. Yeah. The guy was right. It might take ten years even. But that’s a gentleman’s deed. It’s my turn now, man. I swear for how long it might take I will track you down and kill you. But where is the lead? The slut. Yeah. That bitch wearing no underwear. I’ll have you raped and pierced until death. What’ll become of me now? A eunuch? Gosh.
The ambulance took the three friends to Chung’s home, a two-floored apartment of which the ground one was leased as a hair salon. All three remained quiet. They had agreed not to talk out loud. They could not know where they could be safe, not watched or monitored. Were their homes monitored too? Can’t be sure. Where can they feel safe? Better wait until Chung fully recovers and then decide.
-----------------
Mien was at the Guitar’s again. She was wearing the same things as the day before and the other days for the last six months, shorts and a string top. Everything must look normal as if nothing had ever happened. Nothing to fear. No need to change. Hi guys back there with sunglasses in the shade. I have eyes on my nape, so don’t fool me.
Two muscular young men were sitting two tables away back from Mien’s, wearing sunglasses, jeans and T-shirts. They must look like of the same group going somewhere together.
Thirty minutes passed when the two young guys walked to Mien’s place. Excuse us. May we? Uh huh. So you have been watching out for the last thirty minutes, haven’t you? And you both feel safe now. So brave and ignorant. You or your boss should have done more homework. You don’t know us.
What’s your name? What for? Not necessary? Be friends and forget. Call me Hoa if you like but of course, that’s not my name. I never give my name to strangers. What about yours? Cuong and Dung. Are you around here? Yes of course. You look so cute. Why not have some fun? Why not? I am available. Where? Wherever you like. You suggest. Our place near here. Ok. We have the whole day. Let’s have some breakfast first, and we can go. Ok. Must get prepared. To wrestle with these duds requires a little brain and brawn.
Mien, Dung and Cuong got onto the motorbike Cuong had taken out from the bike park. Mien sat wedged between the men. You want to control me, don’t you?
The motorbike drove around the block to Nguyen Trai Street and headed towards Phu Lam. It stopped at a villa on Phan Duc Huy Street. Wow. Impressive. Yours? Yeah. Cuong’s. What would you like to drink? Just plain water please. Want to watch something. Yeah, something exciting. Would you mind the filming? No, not at all. What can you be up to? Now come, girl, let’s play. Ok. Want some handcuffs and strings. Why not?
Mien was handcuffed and tied to the bed in the big hall with all the cameras and lights around. This must be good for a porno clip on lauxanh.us. Mien could not do anything now. Four more men walked into the room.
‘Remember me, slut?’ Chung asked, slapped Mien hard in the face. Shit. You have to pay me more for this. What a job!
‘Yeah, why?’ Mien sounded innocently. I knew there would be this day. Why do I have to suffer this, man?
‘Do not tell me you are innocent. Tell me, bitch, who’s behind all of this?’ Chung muffled his angry voice.
You seem to have started to sound more like women’s voice now, pal. Have you started to like your male friends, Trung or Hai, or the two handsome muscular young duds? You must have. When a man’s tool does not work in the right place it will work in another proper place. Ha! Ha!
There was commotion outside the doors. Chung paused in his step and looked around. The door was pounded open, and ten bulky men entered. All wore masks. They spread throughout the room, two blocking by Chung’s sides. One stepped up to Mien and released her.
‘Why did it take you too long? You have to pay more for the slap.’ Mien shouted. She walked to where Chung stood between the two new comers. She bent down a little bit forward and flung a backward kick against his face throwing him stumbling to the ground. When he stood up and barely got to his balance, she jumped up, hooked his face up from below with her right foot and landed him with an elbow on his nape when he tried to stand up straight again. Chung lay lifeless.
Nobody moved.
‘Stay away from her.’ Said a masked guy. ‘One more time and you’re all dead.’
Before Trung, and Hai and the two handsome boys could utter a word or do anything, they found themselves beaten to unconscious with a shower of punches, kicks and elbows from the tough muscular guys surrounding them.
Mien and the men left. All the cameras and other equipment had all been broken to pieces. A memorable life lesson for all Chung’s men. Now they could be sure that Chung and his friends would dive deep forever. They would not know which was which, who was who and what would be waiting for them if they should ever come close to Mien again.
The men dropped Mien at the Guitar’s and drove away. She walked to her car, got in and rolled out. She travelled for forty minutes to Tran Nao Street, District Two and pulled into the garage of her villa. The help was preparing lunch, and her husband Nam was waiting for her in the lounge. He should not know anything. Pretending not to know he was there, she went straight to the bathroom and got into the bathtub. She reached out to the intercom and told the help to tell her husband she was tired, needed a rest and would eat later.
Nam entered the bathroom and looked at her lying asleep in the tub full of bubbles. He walked back to the dining room and ate alone. They had not been happy for a year because they could not have children. They had been to Tu Du Hospital for years to no avail. Money was not important for them, and both were in good health. The point was her body rejected his sperm, and she could not get pregnant. They both grew depressed, and he encouraged her to go out more to find relief. He himself got so much immersed in his furniture business that he could do away with time. Poor her. The consoling thing was they were still faithful or as far as he could remember there had been nothing wrong with their sex life. They satisfied each other well whenever they made love. He would not worry about her, nor would he think she should worry about him although he had lots of charming young girls around him as boss of an expanding company. The exports were doing profitably.
Nam called Mr Truong and asked him to go out for a drink at night. They needed to discuss the new deal with COC, the American company that Mr Truong had introduced. He would have some shares in the joint corporation, but how much. As a governmental official, Mr Truong did not earn much. Most income came from backing up companies and helping them get through the bureaucracy quickly. Either way companies had to pay, but having an insider who knew what was happening in the government regarding economic policies and recommending them to foreign companies for business was essential in trading nowadays.
‘What’s up man?’ Mr Truong asked condescendingly. Dealing with these business people you had to be smart as they were very resourceful and would know what you thought in mind.
They were at Ngoc Suong restaurant. They should not show off at more luxury restaurants like Park Hyatt, Caravelle, or the likes. A middle class one like this was better. It was just a social call.
‘You know it already, Brother Ba. It’s COC. I want to give you one third of the shares I have with them. What do you think?’ Ok. Eat just a little and eat long. That’s the motto.
‘Oh. Don’t worry. Whatever is ok for me. How can I thank you?’
‘No, no. We’re brothers. Right?’
‘Alright. Two months after next, the prime minister is traveling to Europe on an invitation of England, France, Holland and Germany. I think if you could finance the trip you would be invited. Would be a great opportunity to expand your connections over there. He would recommend your company as a state backed one and you could sign some contracts then although I think the quality is something you have to get concerned about.’
‘Thank you for the info, brother.’ Lam raised his glass toward Mr Truong. This would deserve another envelope. A thousand dollars would be fine. Wow. I need this. What a night!
Nam and Mr Truong finished the light dinner and said goodbye. There was a lot to do now.
Back a home Lam immediately called Sang, the secretary. Meeting tomorrow. Checklists and preparation.
When he finished, it was midnight. He showered, walked to the bedroom and got into the bed to hug Mien. She turned over to receive his kiss.
Nam fell to a deep sleep quickly after he came.
Mien walked down to the kitchen to find something to eat. She needed a long rest. For the last six months, she had been sitting at the Guitar’s to lure Chung and his friends. They were just small fish to catch. Although it was not worth the money, a contract was a contract and you had to conclude it. The point was to confuse the men so that they did not know who was behind all their sufferings. It had worked. Nga had safely hidden away in America. The protection was perfect. The ten-year-old service had been doing well. She would take a rest now and prepare for the next client.
Mien underestimated Chung.
---------------
A small village at Bạc Liêu, two cocks were fighting vigorously with men, young and old, cheering on noisily around. One boy was standing a little farther away, nearer to the loose gate watching the winding path leading up to several small huts next to a pagoda at the dead-end. His duty was clear, looking out for any sign of police. He would signal and the crowd would disperse. To reach the place, one had to walk narrow earth roads that despite being winding they had little vegetation, making it visible whoever appeared.
Next to the pagoda was a small thatched house Chung every now and then reluctantly visited. Only one man lived in the house. He used to be a monk who had learned all the doctrines of Buddhism, but inclined more to the dark side using charms or magic to his own benefits, he decided one day to take off the monk’s robe and put on the brown pajamas continuing consulting clients who came to the pagoda for prayers and to him for magic. He had been popular with the visitors to the pagoda as a resourceful novice. He could cure diseases especially those inflicted by ghosts. As he said, there are two kinds of illness, one caused by physical elements which have to be treated with regular medications and the other by wandering ghosts treated flexibly by charms, mantras or magic. Chung called him Master.
Regretting being so cocky about his ability and not having contacted the Master before acting, Chung humbly begged the latter for help. He was mildly reprimanded and asked to bring along the picture, name and birthday of the enemy, and big money. Chung complied unquestionably, determinedly longing to avenge on himself.
The Master murmured the magic word, drawing on the effigy, and then stabbed the dagger into the chest. Chung was watching intensely. This was supposed to cause lethal pain to Mien, his life enemy. It would not kill, but she would never live in peace. The suffering would be lifetime, and she would certainly wish for death because no physician could cure that piercing ache. Wow! It was worth the money. These days saints and demons seem to have been making lots of profits. But damn! I will have what I want. I have lost all my masculine energy, so I will avenge myself on all the world if it is my enemy. No mercy. No more.
Ten kilometers across the city, Mien woke up with an acute chest pain. As if somebody was stabbing it. She felt scared. What’s wrong? I am still young and work out regularly. She doubled herself and was sick. She fell over on the mattress and grabbed the cell.
FV Hospital, the best one in Ho Chi Minh City, failed to put forward a conclusive diagnosis. Painkillers did not weaken the symptoms. Surgery was out of the question as there was nothing to operate on. The hospital recommended flying to Singapore. Mien and Lam did as advised, but again it was in vain.
‘What is wrong?’ ‘Do you remember having been eating or doing something around the time you started this pain?’ Asked Lam.
Silent.
‘Sorry.’ Lam said thoughtfully.
Every connection has been consulted. Doctors are helpless. Mien cannot live on sleeping pills forever. What can I do?
Lam had cancelled all the business trips in and outside of the country. He had called Mr Truong who sounded sympathetic over the phone, but immediately after hanging up the phone, invited Doanh, Lam’s rival, to take Lam’s place on the trip with the ministers abroad. Somebody had to bear the costs of the entourage. Lam knew it, but he could not change the situation. He would make up for that later after Mien’s recovery. But it seemed never to come.
‘Hello, is that Mom?’
‘Yes. What’s up? Are you ok, son? What’s wrong?’ Madam Chieu would never expect anything good from her son. Lam only called her in needy situations. There might have been a car accident, and he needed a hand to care for the sick. When he started the business, it must have been the need of a big sum of money. Everything would be fine in her hands. She had been able to help him out.
‘My wife. She’s been down with a terrible chest pain and doctors cannot do anything. I took her to FV Hospital and to Sing, but they failed. Mom, you got to help me.’ Lam cried.
‘Calm down. Everything can be solved. Trust me. Let me think for a minute.’ Madam Chieu said calmly and hung up. Symptoms are there, but doctors have failed. There must be only one thing, ghosts or spells. Somebody has performed the Black Sacrament on her daughter-in-law. She had suffered from this before and it took another equally powerful sorcerer to dispel the incantation. This can be done easily; however, Mien is a flirtatious rebellious girl. Why don’t I take advantage of this incident and tie her up forever to my son? She made a phone call.
‘Hello, Master. How are you? It’s been long I have not been able to visit you. Can I have an appointment with you?’
(to be continued)
‘Ok. When?’ The Master replied. The world is so small. I cast the spell on this girl for a party and then uncast it for another. How ridiculous! I’m gonna be crazy soon. I’d break my own spell. This morning he had had a hunch, so he had used radiesthesia and asked if somebody would come for something. The answer yes had led to this dilemma and he could not say no to this powerful woman. He reached out for the phone.
‘Hey, boy. Come. I have something for you to do.’
(to be continued)