Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
The sun was warm and the air was humid the day of Joe’s funeral. Hundreds of people gathered there to share their last respects to the distinguished man that changed the lives of the people. The team dressed in their dark uniforms as they settled in the small chapel before the burial. Although they tried to stay strong, it was hard to hide the solemn sad faces that appeared in every row. Police officers lined up in uniforms while Joe’s fellow soldiers from Beijing flew down for the affair.
The team were honored to be seated in the front row, Jenna sat dead center while Matt said his short speech “He was an intelligent man and so kind at heart. More than anyone would ever know. He taught me endless degrees of great skills that I will always take with me wherever we go. I know the team will take a while to get over this void of loss. For Joe was our leader, what is a team without its leaders? But I know if Joe were here, he would want only one thing from us. Move on.”
He finished and returned to his seat while Jenna stood up slowly, tears still fresh on her cheeks as she took the podium “Joe was a hell of a father.” She started bringing a few smiles in the crowd “He was more than a dad to me. He was my friend, that’s why I often refer to him by his first name, he hated it but I loved it. He was my hero yet I often resented him for abandoning me for his work, but standing here today made me realized why he did it. Take a good look around, this chapel can only fit a hundred people but there are more than that standing outside. He would have been pleased.” She lowered her head while trying hard to hold in the tears “I shouldn’t have doubted him. I shouldn’t have argued, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened? Who ever did this to him will pay!” she challenged at Riley, who sat quietly until she looked at him with a vengeance.
Mia turned to Erin with raised eyes “Was that direct?” she whispered.
Erin stood up as she caught everyone’s attention “It’s time for the burial. Please everyone line up outside.” She nodded for the guys to take the casket.
They put on their white gloves, ready to take one of the eight handles. Riley stood at the end of the line with Mark on his other side, while Matt and Chuck stood in the front. Darren and Ted were in the second row. Ryan and Doug were to take the third row. She approached Riley “I don’t want you touching my dad’s casket.” She said with a vengeance.
“Jenna…” Reina began.
“No.” she said firmly refusing to let anyone stop her.
Riley peeled off the gloves as he placed it over the wooden casket “I’ll respect that.”
Jenna took the gloves and decided to carry her father’s casket with the men. She handed Erin the photo of Joe “Can you lead for me?”
“I’ll be honored.” She smiled warmly, there was no soothing the pain she felt. She nodded to Reina, Mia, Becca and Leah to go with her leading the casket to the burial grounds. Riley trailed behind while the long rows of uniformed policemen lined up. It look liked a scene from a Military movie as they marched to an even beat.
The fellow China soldiers lined in as they performed a gun salute for Joe. Shots were fired in the air in honor of the fallen hero. A short excerpt was read from the bible explaining the rebirth of a flower. Metaphorically, Joe was being reborn by placing him in the ground. Jenna kept a straight face but her tears continued to flow, she stood proudly when row after row of uniformed men saluted him for the last time. The team was the last to salute as they circled around the open hole in the ground.
Matt’s commanding voice announced “Salute!” they clicked their heels together in unison and an angled hand laid above the right eye with perfection.
Flowers were thrown into the grave before the tractor pushed the dirt into the ground. Jenna fell to her knees suddenly “Daddy…” it was barely audible but the team’s heart ached for her.
Ryan knelt down with her, he looked at her with comforting eyes. Stroking her hair as he soothed her with a smile. She leaned onto his shoulder comfortably while he draped an arm around her shoulder, helping her up.
Mia turned to Darren “I hate this.”
“I know.” He pulled her into his chest with ease.
It seemed the lump in her throat only grew larger with each minute passing. Erin looked away, afraid of losing control of her emotions. She spotted him in a distance, dressed in a black suit and dark sunglasses, she recognized him anywhere. He was facing Joe’s grave and gave a respectable three bows. Erin turned to Joe’s grave and then back at Devin, he was leaving.
“What is it?” Ted asked when he noticed she was staring at something.
Erin turned to him with a shaking head “Nothing.”
**********
After the burial, Reina and Erin took Jenna home to gather her belongings. She suggested that it was best for Jenna to stay with them in the meantime. The girls walked through the door and noticed the entire apartment was ransacked “What the…” Jenna whispered in shock.
“They were looking for something.” Reina guessed.
“Maybe they already found it?” Erin thought out loud as she looked around the house. His room was torn apart, they didn’t even let the mattress go without tearing it to pieces “Guys!” the girls followed her into the room as she pointed “Whatever it is, it must be important.”
Reina turned to Jenna “Is there anything that your dad would keep here? Important documents or files? Maybe it has something to do with the team?”
She shook her head slowly “He never told me that he kept things here. I would assume it would be in Beijing with him.”
“Whatever it is, they think it’s here.” Erin said with good reason “Let’s clear up the place, I don’t think it’s safe if we stay here any longer.” The girls nodded in agreement as Jenna went to her room to gather her belongings. It was barely touched. Erin started in Joe’s room as she gathered anything that looked important into a pile. She found a box inside his closet that was dumped out.
Reina helped her with the computer which was actually stolen but the disks were thrown around the desk. She turned to ask Erin a question when noticed that she was staring at something “What did you find?”
“An old album.” She motioned for Reina to come closer “Probably from high school or college.” She turned the pictures page by page and stopped at a picture with Joe and another person. They looked to be good friends, arms around shoulders and huge teasing grins at the camera.
“Is that who I think it is?” Reina asked pointing the man with the wavy long hair next to Joe.
“I think so.” Erin nodded as she pulled out the fading yellow picture and placed it into her pocket “We’ll need this.”
She used the box to gather the items and together they moved Jenna’s clothes and belongings to Erin’s home. Jenna sat on her new bed “I’m back.” She said to the bed with a small sad smile.
“You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to.” Erin wanted to give her options.
“I wouldn’t know where else to go.” Jenna smiled “It’s like having sisters and a half brother.” She smiled thinking about Luke.
“Speaking of half, where is he?” Reina asked.
Erin shrugged “Work?” she glanced at her watch “Ready?”
“Where are you going?” Jenna asked eagerly, she didn’t want to be alone.
The girls looked at each other “The hospital. Operation Bait is starting tonight.”
“Why tonight?” Jenna asked curiously.
“The night of Joe’s funeral? They would think we would be too busy mourning, the perfect night to kill Michael. Matt’s already there.” Erin said “I think it would be best if you stay here, you’ve had a long night.”
She nodded vaguely “Okay.” The minute the girls left, Jenna rushed to Erin’s room to look for her pick lock case. She found it in a dresser drawer “Favorite hiding place.” She smirked and rushed off into the night to R.K. Jewelers. She used her employee tag to enter the front door.
Jenna slipped through the security, entering the elevator she ducked under the camera and before she got out off the top floor, she threw a black cloth over the camera so it would not catch her image. She approached the locked glass doors to Robert’s office and used the tools to get through. She was quick, even faster than Brad use to be with the locks. She checked behind her for cleaning people and eventually made it through to the west wing where Robert’s office sat.
She tried the door but it was locked “Nice try.” She whispered after unlocking the door with ease. Jenna closed it softly and used her small flashlight to snoop around. She remembered his safety chest and tried the different combinations. She tried his birth date as well as his dead daughter’s but it was useless. The combination could be anything. Pulling out his drawers she searched for a clue. She came upon a little yellow notepad paper with a date on there. It was her father’s birthday. Trying to shake the eerie feeling as she tried the combination and miraculously, it opened “Bingo.” She muttered to herself while pulling out a carefully closed file.
Opening it while she placed the flashlight butt into her mouth, she read the information. Her eyes bulged out with each page as she read. It was about the team, he knew everything. Including her information. There were clips of articles from thirty years ago, in England. The headlines read: Interpol Catches P.R.A. Thieves. Another read: Head of P.R.A. Captured. She concentrated on the picture but could not recognize the man.
Realizing that maybe they were watching her, she quickly placed the documents into the safe but kept the articles in her butt pocket. Getting up, she raced for the door but to her shock, it opened and appeared Robert Kwok’s bodyguards. They quickly attacked her without warning. She tangled herself into the fight and eventually lost due to their strength and experience.
Jenna was blindfolded and taken through the back door where a black van sat waiting for her. They drove for a long time and no one said a word which made it more difficult for her to determined where they were going. When the car stopped, they yanked her from the seat and off the van. She felt the soft ground under her feet, it was dirt. They led her inside a place, her suspicions told her it was a home. She could smell the sweet aroma of jasmine flowers. It was Robert Kwok’s home, she concluded.
They took her to the library where her blindfold was taken off but the chain around her hands were still present “Hi Jamie.” He greeted. The room was dim but she could see the conniving smile on his face “Or should I say Jenna? How is Joe, by the way?”
At the mention of her dad, her eyes turned misty “Bastard.” She choked out.
He threw his head back with a laugh “Too bad I couldn’t kill him with my bare hands. But it was fun watching it.” He snickered “The jerk deserved to die.”
“Why?” Jenna asked in confusion.
Robert got up slowly as he walked around his desk and sat at the edge of the table, giving her a better look at his face “A person that takes what is rightfully NOT his deserves to die. I stripped him of every dignity and authority. Afterall, what is a team without a head? I can hear him say that now. Too bad he’s in hell.”
“If my dad is in hell, there’s no place that would take YOU.” She quipped.
His eyes darkened as he glared at her, but slowly he let the calm side take over again “Not bad. You’ve got a smart mouth, too bad it won’t help you this time. Since you miss your father so much, why don’t you go with him?” Jenna widened her eyes while he laughed “Don’t be frightened, child. It will happen in due time.”
The guards took her from Robert’s words. She was locked away in a room with no window, it was as bad as a jail. The chains were cold against her skin as she sat on the ground, her eyes moved up towards the ceiling “Daddy…help me.” Lowering her head, she said a silent prayer in her heart.