Chapter Five: Busted

Three days have passed. Since my grandmother died, I have been alone in the house. I’m still not used to it and I inevitably remember her every time. Grandma was buried in the cemetery yesterday and I am the only one mourning her death. It still hurts to think about it but I will be used to it sooner or later. What I need for now is to accept that she's gone so I can be at peace too.

Tonight, I am preparing myself to embark on a mission but I don't have any connections with the police officers anymore and this is very dangerous for me because I would risk my life to save someone. Doing this might be hard but this is the only way I can start again. I need to save Officer Sebastian.

This is also my last night staying here in Bucharest, I have to move to Canada tomorrow to continue my studies there so I can pursue a law course again to become a prosecutor someday. I have some savings and this is already enough for me to leave this place. I can't get out of here right away because there are people who are spying on me. They will make sure that I can't go anywhere far from this town.

The night I fought with the twins they warned me that my life will be in danger. I escaped from them when I snatched the gun but they did not fight back. In the sudden death of my grandmother, they were the ones I suspected that killed her. The doctor had told me that my grandmother had died because of shortness of breath. I had a strong suspicion that someone had taken her life so I regretted spying on them that night.

That is why my co-workers are mad at me because I was rushed to attack. I don't think about the people that I will put in danger and it was my biggest mistake. I regretted my dumb decisions but will try to resolve this problem alone and try to accomplish the mission again. Even if I don't receive anything back, I just want to save Officer Sebastian. I owe him a lot and that is when he helped me to get a job. He was very kind to me and had no bad intentions at all. He just always tells me that he remembers someone in my personality.

Right now I am fixing myself and I was wearing my white polo, then inserted it into my denim mini skirt. l also decided to wear a coat since it's cold outside. I look inside the cabinet and pick up a black coat. I suddenly remembered that the guy named Flynn owns this. I carried his coat when I was in a hurry to leave there in the park. This was the coat that gave me warmth when I was freezing in cold. Flynn saved me. He was the unexpected person who helped me.

I also wore some black boots and strapped them to my feet. After getting dressed I took red lipstick and applied it to my lips. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that I was presentable. I was amazed at my reflection. I don't think that I'm this beautiful and I inherited this beauty from my mother. I could also see the scratches and scars on my face but these wounds have already healed but the wound in my heart doesn't. I'm still having a hard time but I hope that one day I wake up and this pain I feel will go away. On that day, I will be happy in life even if I am alone. I just smiled and look at myself while brushing my hair.

I'm a brave woman.

I remembered my favorite song titled reflection that Christina Aguilera sang. It was a great song and I love the movie Mulan. Before I left, I prepared the knife and the gun and hide them behind my coat. This is my defense when enemies will attack me. Lastly, I put my cap on my head, this will be my lucky charm. I can feel like my dad was just behind me, guiding me in every situation that I'm in. I'm used to having fights so I know how to protect myself from bad people and that's what dad taught me to defend and save myself from danger. Fourteen years ago a terrible night had to change my life and put me in danger and I was just seven years old at that time.

There was a man who kidnapped me and tried to rape me. I was very scared but a group of guys came and saved me. Those guys helped to punch the bad guy. After they fought the man, they helped me to get back to my grandmother but before that, they took me to their house and I met their kind mother who also take care of me for a short time. I was crying aloud and all of them were comforting me. They tried to make me laugh so they were joking and making some funny faces. If only I could see them once again, I want to thank them for saving my life. Aside from my grandma and dad those people also thought me to be brave and strong.

Even if you are a woman, you must know how to fight. We don't need to depend on anyone else. In the end, what we only have is ourselves. I can still remember what their mother told me.

Before I left, I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I can say that I'm ready for whatever happens. There are only two possible outcomes that can happen tonight. If I can succeed in rescuing Officer Sebastian or lose again. I must be wise in my actions or otherwise, I'll be dead. I found out where the opponent's hideout was and they brought and keep Officer Sebastian there. When I came out, I immediately grab a taxi.

"Unde este destinația ta doamnă?" the driver asked and speaked in romanian. (Where's your destination miss?).

''Oprește-mă în orașul vechi," I replied in romanian. (Drop me at the old town).

While waiting to arrive I noticed the driver looking at me in the rearview mirror. I'm not annoyed because he doesn't look at me maliciously, he just looks surprised at my face. Maybe he notices something different in me.

"Are you an Asian miss?" he asked and spoke in English, I nodded then smiled a bit.

"I'm half Romanian and Korean sir, "I replied.

"Oh, I see! I didn't expect to have a Korean passenger," he laughed. He focused on driving while I listened to the music being played on the radio. Fly me to the moon by Frank Sinatra was played and it's soothing. While relaxing I suddenly reminisce about my past as I look at the places outside the window.

Thinking of leaving here makes me sad. I grew up and lived here for twenty-three years together with my grandma. I have already gone to every place here in Bucharest, Romania. The special place was in the Cismigiu Gardens.  Grandma and I went there boating on the lake every summer. Dad used to be with us but it's just sad because it won't happen again. Lots of great memories, but I can't go back to those moments anymore and all I can do is remember the past. Those happy memories make me cry.

After some few minutes, I already arrived and paid the driver then left afterward. I looked around the place and noticed that there were few lighted poles so it was a bit dark in the other corner. I watched every street and there weren't too many people, few vehicles were passing on the road. As I walked and passed I looked closely at every house I could see. When I stopped here in the dark corner I noticed some men in black masks coming out of a big house in the distance so I quickly hide on the side of the wall.

I peeked out and saw them get inside the black van parked in front of a white house. They left immediately so I thought of going in there. I decided to pass here in the back and there was a steel wire fence blocking the way so I still had to climb. I hurried up because someone might see me. When I landed, I walked slowly to the back of that house. I noticed that no one was inside because the lights is off, it was also quiet and luckily no dog was watching over there.

There is a white door here in the back but it is locked so I took the thin screwdriver from my sling bag. I put it in the hole of the doorknob, then I twisted it and the door successfully opened. When I pushed the door I could see nothing in the extreme darkness but I didn't turn on the light switch, I just took my flashlight to look around.

I saw that it was very messy inside and there are lots of scattered alcohol bottles, cards, cigarettes, and I noticed some women’s clothes. There seems prostitution going on here and some other illegal activities. When I turned the flashlight in the other direction I saw a ladder upstairs. There is also a lot of clutters and I avoid hitting those things so that I don't make any noise.

I had planned to go up but I heard someone groaning on the left corner which was blocked by a large cabinet. It was as if someone was hiding there so I thought of pushing the cabinet slowly to see who was there. There is a cellar down here so I immediately went down and there was a door again so I opened it using the screwdriver. I could still hear someone moaning inside so I hurried to open it because I had a strong feeling that Officer Sebastian was inside.

When I opened it my suspicion was right. I saw him tied to the chair while the black tape was covering his mouth. He also has bruises and wounds on his body so I feel sorry for his condition. When I approached him he was surprised to see me, it was also dark in here that's why he didn't easily recognize me. I just quickly removed the lid from his mouth to hear him speak.

''How did you get here? It's a dangerous place you might get hurt!'' he warned.

''I have a tracking device so I know where you were taken and I tracked all of you from the police department,'' I said, removing the ropes tied to his foot.

He could not speak and was surprised at what I did. When he was untied, I helped him to his feet. We hurried because people might suddenly arrive. We went through the back and we were getting stuck for some minutes because he would have a hard time climbing the fence.

''I will try to climb so we can leave here as soon as possible,'' he said while looking at the fence.

He went up first and I supported him. To our surprise, we heard the sound of a car coming from the other side. We climbed faster and finally, we got down smoothly. Suddenly a man came out of the door here in the back and we were so shocked.

''The captive has escaped!'' the tall man in a mask shouted.

We quickly ran across the streets and saw groups of men chasing us. We parted on the road so I was nervous for Officer Sebastian because he might get caught. He had a bit of a hard time running so I get the attention of the opponents.

''Run for your life Freeda!'' Officer Sebastian shouted.

''How about you officer?! I can't just leave you here,'' I was worried while we were running.

''It's okay for me to die. I have sinned against you and I think it's the time for me to pay,'' he said. I didn't understand what he was saying. We parted the road we were running.

''You can't escape!'' one of the men chasing us shouted. 

There's are two persons suddenly appeared in front of me so I was surprised and they tried to block me so I fought back. They held my hand but they let go when I kicked them in the face.

"Chase the old man!! We'll take care of the woman!" the other guy on the mask shouted, I was also startled when I heard a sound of a gun on the other side. 

I was scared about what they could do to us if we were get caught so I ran even faster. I saw other men blocking the other side of the street so I turned to another way but it was a wrong turn when there were also two men blocking there so I ran into the dark and narrow street on the left side. I was out of breath but I won't stop. Someone suddenly stopped me and I was shocked to see the tall man grabbing my arms tightly. I let go of his grip but he was so strong that I suddenly took the knife that was in my pocket and stabbed him in the neck.

He groaned in pain and he let go of me when his neck bled. I did not believe what I did, I looked at the blood on my hand and I let go of the knife I was holding because I was so scared but I just kept running when the other men continued to chase me. I was shocked that there was no way out, there was another big wall blocking the way. I now stopped running while letting the opponents get close, I just heard the sound of their feet running on the ground.

''You almost escaped in our territory!'' one of the guys exclaimed.

I turned around saw them cornering me, I still didn't remove my cap and I was just looking downward. I noticed that they approached me hesitantly. I looked at the six of them and saw the man I had stabbed in the neck walking in the back to come near here. 

''Give me the gun,'' the tall man commanded as he slowly takes off his mask.

My eyes widened in fear. I don't know what to do anymore because they were many and I don't have any other defense, I gave the gun I was carrying to Officer Sebastian earlier. The tall man suddenly removed his mask and I couldn't believe it when I saw his face. The others men remained behind their masks but I'm trembling right now to see this man who was holding a gun and was madly looking at me.

''This is where your life will end,'' he said in a cold tone, pointing the gun at me. I didn't fight anymore so I took off my cap and faced them. 

''So kill me if you can,'' I surrendered.

I still want to fight but it seems like I can't win because they were seven of them and I can no longer escape because I'm trapped. I gulped as I felt the sweat all over my face. This man and I stared at each other and I realized that I already had seen him somewhere before.

I have accepted my fate and here in the dark corner in the old town, I will die.