Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
“Reina!!” Matt called from the kitchen. After hearing his call, she scurried into the kitchen “Taste this for me.”
She sipped the soup he was brewing and nodded with satisfaction “Very tasty.” Matt sighed with relief from her compliment. She tilted her head with a grin “I’ve never seen you so nervous. You act like the president is coming to eat dinner, it’s just your Ryan and his roommates.”
He laughed “I just want to make this perfect for him.” Sighing as he began stirring “We’ve drifted apart since Shelly passed away. I tried to be supportive but realizing that I didn’t have a knack for it didn’t help. Thank God for Erin and the others.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, you tried. I’m sure Ryan understands.” Reina comforted. When the doorbell rang, she chuckled “They’re early.”
“Don’t let them in the kitchen!” Matt called.
Reina grinned as she opened the door “You guys—” her smile dropped the minute she saw him “What are you doing here?” she asked coldly.
“Is that any way to welcome your ex-partner?” Ah Gam greeted with a smug grin.
She turned her back to make sure Matt wasn’t around. When it was clear, she stepped out the door and pushed him away “What do you want?”
“Nothing. Just a message from Hung Gor…he wasn’t very happy that you didn’t take his money. So, he asked me to bring you another check and will not take no for an answer this time.” Handing her the check, she didn’t bother to glance at it “Reina, don’t say I didn’t warn you but Hung Gor is not as lenient as he use to be. He has a plan and won’t stop until it’s accomplished. If you don’t cash this check, who knows what he’ll do.”
She was desperate “Isn’t there any way you can ask him to let me out? I know I disappeared without a trace but I don’t want that lifestyle anymore. I’m different now, I have a fiancé and I have friends. I work for the team. Please…” she begged.
His eyes softened “You have changed. I’ve never known Reina to beg for anything even when there was a gun to her head.” He stepped backwards down the porch “Weaknesses only give your enemies a weapon to use against you. Remember that…” he turned and rushed towards the taxi.
Reina was lost in her thoughts when the door opened causing her to jump “Reina, who—I’m sorry, did I scare you?” Matt asked.
Shaking her head as she smiled “No. There were…a few kids playing tricks on us. I was just scaring them away.”
Matt laughed, “Should that be a warning that you don’t want kids?” he ushered her inside when suddenly there was a car honk. It was the guests of honor “Crap! My soup!” he ran inside to check on the damage while Reina shook her head.
“Reina!!” Jenna bounced her way over and handed her a basket of fruit “Just a little thought, you don’t need to thank me.”
“I don’t think she was going to.” Doug remarked.
“Actually, I was.” Reina winked at Jenna and turned to greet Erin and Ryan “Hi guys. Come inside, it’s a little cold out here.”
“Not to Jenna.” Doug teased her with a nudge making her blush as she pushed her way inside the house. He laughed while Reina looked at him strangely “Inside joke.”
“Don’t mind him, he had too much sugar today.” Erin nodded for them to go inside “There’s something we need to discuss with you and Matt. Doug had a little discovery yesterday.”
“Dinner is served!” Matt announced from the kitchen.
Doug was excited as he ushered everyone into the kitchen “Eat first, talk later.”
Jenna was the first to notice the dishes “Hey, it’s all of Ryan’s favorite dishes.”
“And you would know?” Doug asked with wide eyes.
“Stop.” Erin scolded “It looks great, Matt. You really outdid yourself this time.” She complimented.
“It’s okay.” Doug chewed on a piece of Hainan chicken.
Matt turned his head “You don’t like chicken?”
Jenna shook her head “It’s not his favorite.”
“Sorry Doug, I’m not a very broad cook.” Matt apologized.
“I’m kidding Matt. The food is very good.” He said convincingly while caving down the food from his rice bowl.
“Good, I wouldn’t have to punish you with a hundred pushups because you didn’t like my food.” He joked.
Reina appeared to be extra quiet and Erin noticed after a couple of minutes when she was staring at the chicken in her bowl “If you stare at it any longer, it might come to life.” Erin’s comment made Reina snap out of her daze “What’s wrong? You seem out if it.”
“Nothing.” She shook her head “So, what was the discovery?”
“Doug.” Erin nodded at her teammate, who had a mouthful of food. Matt and Reina turned their full attention to him.
Jenna placed her bowl down and raised her hands in a defense “Whatever you do, don’t make him laugh!!” she warned, “He will explode, he’s done it before.”
Matt quickly opened his napkin and covered his face “Thanks for the warning.” Ryan and Jenna began laughing hysterically from the action making Doug chuckle.
Erin and Reina exchanged glances “He’s gonna blow.” Reina cracked. Doug couldn’t take it as he got off his seat and ran to the sink.
“Isn’t this fun?” Jenna exclaimed.
“I swear you do that on purpose!” Doug pointed threateningly at Jenna, who raised her brows innocently “Don’t give me that puppy face. You know you get a kick out of watching me hold in laughter.”
Jenna raised her hand guiltily “You’re right, your honor, I’m guilty.”
Matt shook his head with a laugh “Okay, let’s get serious, what did you find out Doug?” he briefly explained the incident with the Commissioner and assassin. The lieutenant nodded thoughtfully “So they are aiming for the people we assumed they would. Anything from Michael or Riley?” he asked, “It’s been a few weeks.”
“Nothing.” Erin shook her head “Maybe they got what they wanted?”
“I don’t think so.” Reina spoke up. Everyone turned to her for an explanation “I read up on this Hung Gor, he works slyly and just when you think you are a step ahead of him, he throws you a curve ball. I think his plan is more than just taking out business men and erasing police files. He’s targeting us.”
“You mean he wants to bring down the P.R.A.?” Ryan asked. She nodded in reply “Why? What’s the motive? All the past enemies of the team have reasons, up to three months ago, we haven’t even heard about the guy.”
Doug nodded “The kid’s got a good point. We don’t know why Hung Gor wants to eliminate us. Does anyone in the team know the guy?” he asked.
Matt glanced at Reina, who lowered her head “No, not that I know of.” He was quick to deny it “Maybe this has something to do with Joe? Remember Robert Kwok? We had no idea, I mean Joe didn’t tell us about the history behind the agency’s name.”
“That’s true.” Jenna nodded in agreement “He looks to be around Joe’s age.”
“No one knows how to find this guy?” Doug asked.
“Bait.” Erin said shortly. They turned to her “Undercover…Matt, I’ve been meaning to ask you. And please answer us truthfully, is Becca working undercover?”
Sighing, Matt shook his head slowly “I wish I could say yes. It’s always disappointing when an agent turns on the team. Unfortunately, she is one.”
Doug sat back “This is all my fault. If I didn’t divorce her, this wouldn’t have happened. Mia would be pregnant and this Hung Gor would not know about our operations and codes.”
“This is not the time to self blame.” Erin cautioned, “Anyways, she was the one that stood out from the team. She was different, I’ve known her for years. This is actually not surprising to me.”
“And you didn’t bother to warn me??!!” Doug was appalled “A little heads up would have helped…like say oh, my friend is a little crazy in the head, don’t date her!!”
Erin winced from his high pitch shriek “I didn’t know you would fall for her.”
“It’s too late to change the past.” Reina said, her eyes distant.
Matt saw as he reached out and squeezed her hand “Yes, we should concentrate on the present and future. Everything can be fixed as long as you don’t let the past haunt you.”
Doug raised his brows “That’s deep, Matt.” He winked at Ryan and made a drunk face towards Matt. Ryan shook his head slightly indicating that his brother wasn’t drunk.
“You two okay?” Erin asked Reina and Matt, they were different.
“Yeah.” Matt replied quickly “It’s just this case is getting to me. We still don’t have any leads after so many months.”
“Is it okay if I see Ted tomorrow?” Erin asked.
Doug shook his head “I think it’s still a little too soon. I mean he’s barely settling down in his marriage—”
“Not about that!” Erin was defensive “To ask him about the assassin’s death report. Maybe they left back a clue?”
“I don’t see any harm in that.” Matt nodded.
*************
That night Matt and Reina went to bed early, they were going to train early the next morning. It was a regular routine for them at least three times a week. When he was in a deep sleep, Reina found her chance to slip out of the room. She changed her jeans and wore a trench coat and hid her hair under a hat.
She took the car and drove out to the underground bar she knew years ago. It was still there, hidden behind a spaghetti house restaurant. She knocked three times and the tiny circle window opened “What do you want?!” the guy demanded forcefully.
“Two spaghettis togo.” She answered calmly.
“With meatballs?” he asked.
“No. Just the sauce.” She replied.
He opened the door for her and stared at her up and down “Come in.”
She entered and was instantly stared at. Walking in cautiously as a few men grunted at her and a few bumped her on the shoulder purposely. They glared down at her waiting for her to make a move but she stepped around them and continued to the back of the room. She didn’t realize a closure was formed behind her until one of the men blocked her way. She tried to sidestep him but he followed her motion “Who are you looking for?” he asked.
“Hung Gor.” She replied, her eyes fixated on the shadow growing behind her. The guy prepared to attack her from the back as she spun around and blocked his arm. Grabbing a hold of his wrist, she twisted him around her back and slammed him against the floor. It began a whirlwind of attacks as each one took their turn to try to take her down. Reina knew how to handle each one viciously beating them with whatever weapon she could find. From a stool to a beer bottle.
One guy motioned for the rest to step back as he whipped out a pocket knife, swinging it in a circle motion as it appeared sharp and shiny. Taking stabs at her as she circled her body against the bar, she missed each one by centimeters. She jumped on the counter and kicked the beer bottles at the guy as they hit him randomly. He gave one final slash at her legs as she somersaulted to the ground losing her hat and appeared her long mane. Reina stood in her stance but the group backed away. Suddenly a monotone clap came from behind her. Reina straightened herself and turned to the man in control “Hung Gor!!” the men bellowed with respect.