| Fan Fiction |
by DTLCT
Kenneth nods.
“Okay, here’s the deal. I’m not siding with anyone – YET. So can you put your past biases against me aside for the moment?”
“I…”
“Don’t deny it. And I admit I aggravated you in the past on purpose, but let’s just forget it and deal with this new obstacle, all right?”
Kenneth looks towards the water ahead. With the sun above their heads by now, the reflection on the water is quite a sight. Breath-taking even.
Kenneth turns back to Jacky. “All right. I’ll try to keep calm.”
Jacky smiles. “That’s great then.”
Jacky doesn’t start right away though. He hops onto the railing and swings his legs around so he can face the sea ahead before speaking up. “You should try this, it’s quite addicting. I picked it up from Yoyo.”
Kenneth has a puzzled look on his face.
“Dr. Mung at the local hospital.”
Kenneth nods.
Jacky knows Kenneth is already patient with him so he clears his throat quickly and starts for real this time. “It appears that as a brother figure, I should apologize to you for causing you and your family so much troubles these past six months or more. But I must clarify that I have nothing to do with the whole runaway thing. I didn’t even know you have a sister to begin with. So whatever Cory did, I didn’t know until like yesterday. That leads to our next problem.” He pauses and turns to glance at Kenneth real quick before continuing. “I don’t think you’ve cool down enough yet to consider this at the moment. But how about just let those two date for a while and see what happens?”
Kenneth sighs out deeply. Jacky totally understand what Kenneth’s going through since he has a little sister of his own, but doesn’t want to sound like a know-it-all so he just keeps silent for Kenneth to reconsider.
“Are they still at Constant Comfort?” Kenneth asked, sounding somewhat tired.
“Yes. I delayed them. That didn’t go well with your sister though.”
Kenneth smiles out of nowhere. “I could imagine that.”
“It’s like both of you has this alarm on 24/7 not to trust me or something.”
Kenneth smiles again. “I can say cop instinct for my case, but not sure about Ruby.”
Jacky turns to Kenneth again. “So…what is the answer?”
“I want to talk to them first.”
“It’s your sister. But trust me, you don’t want to yell at her. I already did it.”
“You did?”
Jacky nods. “I admit I aggravated her on purpose also. But I just want to let that out of her before you get a chance to talk to her.”
“Does that mean I’m supposed thank you for the sacrifice?”
“No. Thank me afterwards because after all, I might be wrong. And it’s your sister. You should understand her more than me.”
Kenneth nods. “All right. Want to go talk to them now or…”
Jacky gets off the railing before walking with Kenneth to the parking lot. They had taken Jacky’s car when they left the station, so now Kenneth has no choice but to stay quiet and let Jacky drive.
Suddenly, Kenneth realizes that Jacky isn’t that bad after all. Not just because Jacky found Cory and Ruby, delaying them for the moment, but also because Kenneth could see why everyone likes Jacky so much. Jacky is always so unpredictable.
*****
They arrive at Seahorse Fest around 12:30 P.M. Jacky parks into the spot in front of the store as someone pulled out. Kenneth waits to see what Jacky’s next move is before following him. They stand in front of the shop, looking in before Jacky reaches for the door handle and enters. Kenneth follows Jacky, staying silent the whole time.
“I think she should be in the back, trying to quit her job right now,” Jacky whispered to Kenneth.
“Ruby?” Kenneth asked.
“Yea. Of course you know she works here.”
“Uh…”
“Kevin and Gallen saw you.”
“All right. Yea, I know. So?”
“So let’s go stop her before she quits.”
“We can’t just go in the back. It’s restricted to employees only.”
“Are you that naïve, Lieutenant Ma?”
“I’m not using my authority as a cop to order people around. Not to mention using it for personal matters.”
Jacky doesn’t bother to explain to Kenneth. He approaches the counter where a man is standing there, waiting for them to order. Kenneth silently wants to take back the little sudden admiration he has towards Jacky.
“Could you please tell Ruby that Jacky is here to see her?” Jacky said to the man. “It’s regarding her brother. It’s an emergency.”
“Uh…” The man stuttered.
“She’s not in trouble…” He pauses briefly before continuing. “…if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
“All right. Please wait here.”
Jacky steps aside and sits at a table nearest to the counter. Kenneth reluctantly slides into the booth also – settling down across the table from Jacky.
“So…still think that I’m crazy?” Jacky asked.
“Yes,” Kenneth admitted. “But less worried.”
“I’m not that crazy to abuse my powers. Told you that you still have your biases against me.”
“Even Joey doesn’t even know what your moves are most of the time.”
Jacky flashes out his proud smile at that point. “I like it that way.”
As they’re sitting there waiting, Jacky notices that this place is unusually quiet. It’s around lunch. There should be more people in here. Why is that? Strange, he thought. Jacky stands up and approaches the counter again, sneaking a few glances here and there towards the back. Why is the back seem so empty? Kenneth gets up also when he sees Jacky moved earlier.
“What’s wrong?” Kenneth asked.
“It’s too quiet here,” Jacky replied.
Kenneth looks at his watch. “Now that you say it.”
Jacky scans the store in one quick motion before returning his attention to the counter. How come he didn’t notice it before? Before Kenneth could ask, Jacky jumps over the counter. He slips through the back door and enters into what is supposed to be the kitchen area. He could hear some yelling from the front – Kenneth’s voice. Jacky doesn’t take time to respond to Kenneth. He hopes he’s still in time. As he goes through the double door past the kitchen, he sees a group of people gathered in the back of that room. It looks like some sort of storage room. He makes sure no one sees him before slipping into the nearest aisle and edging forward towards the group. As he comes closer, he could hear what they’re talking about.
“Tell me where it is!” A man’s voice’s bellowed out.
“Don’t rattle him,” The second man said. “He might forget.”
“I don’t think he would forget,” The first man said.
“Leave him alone!” A girl’s voice yelled out.
“Shut up! You better be glad I’m not doing anything to you yet.”
“If my brother knows about this, you’re dead meat.”
“It doesn’t look like he’s here.”
“If he’s here, you’re finished.”
Jacky rolls his eyes, annoyed. He never wants to use the word “stupid” so much in his life before. What in the world is Ruby thinking? If they know that her brother is a cop, she’s finished. Jacky sneaks a glance at the group, circulating thoughts in his head of his next possible moves. What are they looking for anyway? Some documents? Deeds? To this store? Before Jacky could go on guessing any further to himself, he could hear Ruby’s voice again.
“Stop it!” Ruby shouted out.
“I’m only hurting him, not you,” The first man’s voice spoke up again. “Better shut up before I switch targets.”
“If…”
“Your brother is not here, you silly girl.”
Jacky could hear the double doors swinging back and forth, making creaking noises seconds later. Great, he thought. He sneaks another glance towards the group just two feet from him. They seemed to have stopped to listen for whatever noises from before. Jacky takes this opportunity to slither down the aisle and back to where he came from earlier. He signals to Kenneth as he sees him. Kenneth could see the group from afar too. The guys make their way back to Jacky’s hiding place. They could hear the first man speaking up again.
“Go check that out,” The first man said in an authoritative tone.
“Probably just the stupid door swinging back and forth ‘cause it’s old,” The second man said.
“Go check anyway!”
“All right. But I’m telling you…”
“Shut up and go check!”
The second man seems to be scared of the first man. He does as told, making his way back to the double doors. Jacky signals for Kenneth to follow the second man while he swings into action at the same time. Jacky has been prepared. He has one of his star-shaped weapons at a ready since he saw the men there. Now that he gave Kenneth the go, he swings the stars forward, aiming at the first man. He ducks back in time before a bullet hits him in the face. He could hear Ruby’s screaming and could also see the first man’s shadow moving towards the aisle he’s hiding at. He waits until that man is a little closer and is facing him before ducking down and kicks at the man’s feet with his right foot. The unexpected attack causes the man to topple over and drops his gun. The gun slides to the wall behind him. Jacky wastes no time. He presses down on the man’s stomach with his right foot to restrain the man while he reaches into his belt to grab a string to tie the guy’s hands together. Although the string looks thin and fragile, but no matter how the guy yanks at the string, he couldn’t break it. Jacky kicks the guy aside and makes his way towards Ruby. He unties the man in white – assuming to be the shop-owner. At that time, Kenneth comes back.
Jacky turns to Kenneth. “All taken care of?”
“You think I couldn’t get him?” Kenneth asked.
Jacky shrugs his shoulders. “Maybe you were distracted?”
Kenneth’s confused. “Distracted?”
“‘Cause your sister’s screaming episodes from earlier.”
“Oh. No.”
Jacky nods. “Found the others then?”
“In the kitchen. Next to the stove. They got knocked unconscious.”
“Okay then. I guess we’ve taken care of everything.”
Kenneth looks around real quick. “Yea.” He pauses briefly. “Let me call the station and have these guys picked up.”
“I’m going outside for some fresh air. I hate to be coped up in such place.”
“I guess I’ll go outside too. To wait for the guys, of course.”
Jacky nods. “All right then. Let’s go.”
As they’re saying these last words, they’re making their way back past the double doors. Ruby couldn’t be more shocked than this. However, she recovers herself really fast.
“Hey!” Ruby yelled after the guys.
Both guys turn to stare at her.
“What?” Jacky asked.
“Aren’t you guys going to ask if I’m all right?”
“You’re not dead yet!” Jacky and Kenneth said at the same time.
Although they both said it at the same time, but Jacky’s tone sounds like teasing versus Kenneth’s stern tone.
Ruby walks up to both guys. “You think that this is all a joke or something?”
Her question seems to be directed at Jacky more than her brother.
“If you want it to be a joke,” Jacky said.
“How could you be so selfish?” Ruby asked, astonished.
Jacky points at himself. “I’m selfish?”
“Yes. Some people just got hurt and all you can think of is going outside for some fresh air?”
Jacky points at the shop-owner. “He’s not dead.” He points at Ruby. “You’re not dead. What else do you want? Give you both hugs and cry happily that you’re all right?”
Ruby has on a disgusted look. “Insensitive.”
With that, she makes her way back to the shop-owner and helps him out front again.
Jacky looks at Kenneth. Kenneth shrugs his shoulders. For once, Jacky feels he’s on the same side as Kenneth. Kenneth continues to make the phone call while they’re making their way back outside. The shop-owner has stopped at the kitchen area to check over things as well as waking the other employees up. Ruby helps him. Jacky and Kenneth continue on their way. Jacky has pulled out his cell phone in the process and has been speaking with the paramedics. Kenneth and Jacky have already exit the back area through the counter door instead of jumping over it like they did before. Kenneth sits at the booth nearest to the counter like before while Jacky heads to the front to continue his conversation. Kenneth has already finished his conversation and is tapping on the table surface and waiting silently. Jacky comes back and sits across the table from Kenneth after another two minutes on the phone.
“All good?” Kenneth asked.
Jacky nods. “Yea.”
“We’re not a bad team after all, huh?”
“Glad to know we’re a team.”
“I was thinking…uh…”
Jacky puts his right hand up to stop Kenneth. “Forget it. We’re guys. Don’t keep it in mind anymore.” He extends his right hand. “Team work?”
Kenneth shakes Jacky’s hand and smiles. They finally reach an understanding.
Ruby comes out to the counter at about the same time when the guys withdraw their hands and resume their tapping routine.
“Looks like you guys are waiting for a cup of coffee or something,” Ruby snapped, her tone as sarcastic as ever.
“I wouldn’t say no,” Jacky said.
Kenneth smiles. “I wouldn’t reject the offer either.”
Ruby looks beyond annoyed now. “You’re both so full of it. No wonder you get along so well.”
Jacky turns around to face Ruby. “I’m surprised you guys are related in the first place. You don’t understand your brother at all, do you? You’re so engrossed in yourself that you don’t even care about him or care to know anything about him.”
“That has nothing to do with you.”
Some of the customers sitting at the far front of the store are beginning to stare in their direction.
Jacky lowers his voice a bit. “It has nothing to do with me. But I’m just surprised that you wouldn’t even…”
Ruby cuts him off. “You don’t have a say in this.”
“Do I? How about I let you two sort the situation with your relationship out then?”
Jacky stands up to leave for the siblings to discuss their problems. Kenneth extends his right hand to stop Jacky.
“Stay,” Kenneth said.
Jacky, surprised, turns back to look at Kenneth. “What?! You’re kidding, right?”
“You’re representing Cory, remember? You have to stay.”
“True.” Jacky sits back down in his spot and looks at Ruby again.
“I can’t believe you guys are so unprofessional as to discuss personal matters during work,” Ruby said.
“We’re not working right now. We just happen to be here when something like this…” He gestures his left hand towards the door behind the counter. “…is going on.”
“Excuses.”
“So you want me to undo everything and tie you up again?”
Kenneth clears his throat.
Jacky turns to look at him.
“We’re not here for this, remember?”
“All right. Go right ahead then.”
Just when things seem to move forward, Kenneth’s cell phone rings. He retrieves it from his belt and answers it. “Hello?” He pauses. “All right.” He lets out a sigh. “I guess things will have to wait then. Yea. Jacky has to take me back though.” He turns to Jacky, mouthing, “Can you go?”
“Anytime,” Jacky said.
“Okay,” Kenneth said into the phone again. “We’ll be there in twenty minutes or so. No. It’s not far. We have to wait for Roger to get here. I’ll explain it to you later.” He hangs up after that.
“Well?” Jacky asked.
“Joey.”
“What happened?”
“It seems that the boss has decided to let me train Michelle.”
“Train?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t she already a cop?”
“Yea. But she just got transferred here. Need time to adjust.”
Jacky smiles. “Brad and George would kill for your spot though.”
Kenneth sighs and gets up. “They don’t need to do any killing. I’m willing to give it up on my own freewill.”
Jacky gets up also. “Sounds kind of heroic. Honorable even.”
Ruby’s irritated expression returns. She couldn’t believe her brother is ignoring her again. “Hey! What’s wrong with you two? Always ignoring me.”
Kenneth turns to face her. “You know from our conversation that we have to go. I’ll come back later when you’re off work or maybe meet at Constant Comfort to discuss things over.”
“How could you be so sure I’m still around?”
Jacky turns to face her also. “Number one, you can’t leave town until the shop’s case is resolved and/or solved. And even if they managed to sort everything out by tonight, you still wouldn’t be able to leave that fast.”
“You want to bet?”
Jacky smiles and shakes his head. “You never give up, do you?” He turns serious gain. “Cory wouldn’t leave. He’s still waiting for me to get back to him.”
“What makes you think that you can…”
Jacky cuts her off. “Even if you two decided to run again, I will find you no matter what.”
“Stop acting so arrogant and under-estimating Cory. You’ll be disappointed.”
Jacky smiles again. “You can’t leave because I’m Jacky, okay?”
With that, Jacky leaves with Kenneth following him out the door. Jacky must have seen Roger’s team arrive because when he opens the door, Roger walks up to them.
“I’ll let you take over then,” Kenneth told Roger.
“All right,” Roger said, nodding. “Anything big?”
“Probably not.”
“The paramedics are arriving soon also,” Jacky informed Roger.
Kenneth nods. “We have to get back to the station. But call me if you need anything like statements from me later.”
Roger nods.
Jacky and Kenneth get into Jacky’s car. Jacky checks his car again, making sure no one messed with it before starting the engine.
Ruby seemed to have walked out front while the guys were talking to Roger. Now, she greets Roger and leads him into the store.
“Kenneth’s sister, right?” Roger asked.
Ruby nods. “But I think the most important thing right now is the case.”
“The paramedics are arriving soon. Are the others all right?”
“They’re in the back resting. Lucky we have ice here. They’ll be fine until then.” She flashes on her friendly smile at that time to show her appreciation towards Roger and his team. “Thanks for calling them though. I didn’t…”
Roger cuts her off. “I didn’t call paramedics. Jacky did.”
“Jacky?”
Roger nods. “I thought he told you all.”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Anyway, let me take a look at the situation at hand before taking statements and whatnot.”
“Go ahead inside. I’ll stay here to lead the paramedics in.”
Roger nods. “All right.”
Ruby closes the door as Roger steps inside. She looks after Jacky’s car, wondering what in the world he is thinking half of the time. Has she under-estimated him after all? Ruby doesn’t have time to think things over because the paramedics are arriving. She has to help Roger also since most people in the shop are injured already.
© Saturday, March 8th, 2008
Re-posted: Friday, October 16th, 2009