| Fan Fiction |
by x.shuang.dao.x
The first sight that greeted Owodog and Ashley when they reached his place close to noon was a piece of card covered in bright red ink stuck on the door.
And it read, ‘Ashley Wu you’re a goddamn fucking whore! You are going to pay for this.’ A red rose petal was stuffed into the keyhole on his door.
Owodog muttered a string of curse words under his breath. Then he glanced at Ashley. She was silent but he knew what was going through her mind. “Ash, we need to run.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Let’s get some stuff. I’ll tell Matt.” Owodog unlocked the gate and door to get in. Everything in the house was intact, for now.
Sam came hurtling towards them and Ashley scooped him into her arms. “How about Sam?”
“We’ll leave him at the station. He’ll be safe there.”
Ashley nodded slowly. “He probably knows how important Sam is to me as well…” She stroked the cat behind his ears and he purred in contentment. “I won’t let anything happen to you, okay?” Sam meowed, as if in understanding of what Ashley had just told him.
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In half an hour, Owodog and Ashley were back at the station with a few bags and Sam.
Matt and Landon were already waiting for them in the conference room.
“Landon will be taking over as head investigator for the Rose’s case from you.” Matt said to Owodog right as he sat down.
Owodog nodded.
“We’ve prepared an unmarked car for the two of you. Head to King Arthur’s. Stay there for the time being. Change rooms every couple of days under false names. You two know the drill. Don’t leave your rooms and walk around unless strictly necessary. I don’t want two of my best people to get killed. The security at King Arthur’s is one of the best. I’m trusting it’ll keep both of you safe. So you two better not pull any tricks on me. You hear?”
Owodog and Ashley echoed their agreement.
Then Ashley gave her cat basket to Matt. “Keep him in the station. He’ll probably be one of Kale Chou’s targets as well.”
“Very well,” Matt took the cat basket in which Sam was napping. “You two get going now. Remember to update us on your situation. We’ll update you daily as well. One of our cars will follow you there to make sure there’s no one else on your tail. Good luck, guys.”
“You guys too.” Owodog said.
Ashley said nothing. She knew that Owodog was the one who most wanted Kale arrested and sentenced, yet he was putting all of that down and giving up the chance to apprehend him personally because of her. Leaving Sam behind was hardly a big thing compared to that.
Plus, on top of that, they had to leave Fabien behind. He wasn’t out of danger yet and they were obviously worried for him. Not that they could do anything about that.
Owodog had faith in Landon, but that didn’t mean he was a hundred percent willing to hand over his Kale Chou case to him just like that. Owodog had been following Chou for so long, his hands were itching to put the cuffs on those hands that would never kill again once he had him. But now he had to leave that all behind. The one thing he wanted most in the world, other than Ashley, of course, and he had to give it up.
Actually… No, he did not have to give it up. At least not so soon. Owodog hid a smile that tried to find its way onto his face as he and Ashley took the lift to the basement carpark.
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King Arthur’s was a normal-looking hotel that didn’t live up to its name. Owodog supposed it should be hovering somewhere near three stars. Where Matt got the idea that the security was one of the best, Owodog didn’t know, but he assumed that Matt would know best. He wasn’t Chief Investigator for nothing.
The two officers following them left once they made their way to their room.
Owodog walked into the small room with a lot on his mind. Either he would lie low tonight, or he could lie low for the rest of this indefinite break. He would be taking a big risk, but it’d be worth it if it paid off.
Ashley had taken the single bed closer to the bathroom, so Owodog threw his bag onto the one nearer the balcony.
“What are we going to do here, man? We aren’t allowed to go anywhere and this place has nothing but a television.”
“I’ve got poker cards in my bag. Or we could rent board games. Or we could pig out the whole day.” Owodog suggested.
“Good idea. Let’s start with the cards first. We can move on to other stuff when we get bored. Come on.”
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Kale knew he should not have gone to put that note at that dumb detective’s door. If not for that, he would not have been in such a rush that he almost got killed by a car. He did not die, but it gave him a bad leg. He had to have either broken or cracked something in his left foot. On the bright side, it would be just a sprain. But Kale wasn’t one who thought ‘on the bright side’.
He always calculated the worst thing that could possibly happen in any scenario. That was so he could be mentally prepared all the time.
And to make things worse, he saw himself when he turned on the television.
He was on television. He was on the fucking news. The police were on a hunt for the ‘most brutal murderer’ believed to be on the run since he evaded arrest the night before. Anyone who had seen him was supposed to report to the police.
Kale swept everything off the table in rage.
Now he was not only a bloody fucking cripple. He was a wanted criminal as well.
Kale knew he was in deep shit. He would have to keep out of their radar for a few days, and let his leg get better before he could get out and get back on Owodog and Ashley’s trail.
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Owodog had snuck out when Ashley was in the bath. Since then, he had ignored all the calls she made to his cell. He needed to get things done first.
Stepping into Larry’s Bar, Owodog winced. He hadn’t entered this sleazy place since the time he first met Elisha. It hadn’t changed much, not that he was expecting it to. Owodog headed straight for the T-stage. He finally spotted Elisha just as she was going backstage. She hadn’t seen him yet, so he made a beeline in the direction of the backstage.
He stood outside the door and waited. The five other girls had come out but Elisha was still nowhere to be seen. Owodog tapped his foot impatiently. He shouldn’t stay out for so long, and he didn’t want to leave Ashley alone for so long, especially since he didn’t tell her where he was going. He kept his eye on the door and waited some more.
Elisha eventually did emerge from the door leading backstage, and Owodog grabbed her hand to pull her to the side where they were hidden by the humongous heavy curtains. She was clearly delighted to see Owodog, for her whole face lighted up when she realized that it was him who had grabbed her hand. “It’s you!”
Owodog nodded briefly, even though he knew it was hard to notice such a small action when they were all covered in shadows and random flashes of spotlight. It was, however, less noisy behind the curtains because the thickness of the curtains blocked out quite a lot of noise. That probably showed how heavy the curtains were. Owodog was rather amazed by them.
“Elisha, I’m here today because I need your help.”
Her doe-eyes stared up at him in confusion. “For?”
“Your Mr K, have you seen him lately?”
“Yeah, he came by yesterday in the evening. Why do you want to know?”
“Yesterday evening…” Owodog thought for a bit, that would be before Kale went to track and spy on them. “Did he tell you anything?”
“He told me that he would be going to settle some things first because he had just returned from an overseas business trip. He said he would drop by later in the night, but he never showed up.”
Owodog wondered if he should tell her that he was part of the team trying to apprehend her Mr K, who was a serial killer on the loose. He should. It would help their case. “Elisha, I have to tell you something very confidential now and you have to swear with your life that you are not going to let anyone else know, not even Mr K himself, you hear me?”
Fear flashed through her eyes as she nodded uncertainly.
Owodog showed her his police badge. Her eyes widened. “I’m a Homicide Detective. Mr K is Kale Chou, he’s a serial killer and we’ve been wanting to capture him for years. We almost busted him last night, but he got away. He almost killed another guy last night. He’s all over the news now, too.”
Elisha was in shock as she tried to comprehend what Owodog had just told her. She also realized something else in the process. “Do you mean, the last time you slept with me, it’s just because you knew he was in constant contact with me?”
Owodog felt quite bad as he nodded.
She gave a soft bitter laugh. “To think I still thought you were kind of different from the rest of the guys. Yeah, you were different all right. But no better than them.”
Owodog looked quite taken aback. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. I thought you’d just see me as…” He shrugged, “All the other men.” Owodog paused, and seeing that Elisha hadn’t responded, he continued, “Um… Elisha? Can I ask you to put this matter aside first, and for the moment… Just, uh, focus on what I have to tell you? Because your life might be in danger as well.”
Elisha sighed. “Don’t worry, I understand.”
Owodog wondered if she really meant it. But he didn’t have time for doubts and all right now. “Right. Firstly, under ALL circumstances must you not tell anyone that you have just seen me here. Secondly, I need you to call the police immediately and tell them that you were one of the last persons in contact with Kale Chou. Thirdly, if he comes to look for you again, inform the police. And… Most importantly, stay safe.”
She nodded. “I will.”
“I have to run now, because I’m not supposed to be out here. And… I’m the next person Kale Chou wants to kill. So… Yeah, remember what I told you. Take care and good-bye.”
Elisha caught Owodog’s hand just as he turned to leave. Then she moved towards him and gave him a light peck on his lips. “Be careful too. I… will still look forward to meeting you again. Good-bye.”
Owodog shot her a smile then left hurriedly.
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When Owodog entered the room he was sharing with Ashley and closed the door behind him, he wasn’t expecting this.
“Where the hell have you been?” Ashley demanded, her eyes shooting daggers at him as she stood with her arms crossed.
“Uh… Ash, you gave me a fright.” Owodog avoided answering her as he sidled past her into the room where he didn’t feel so trapped.
“You haven’t answered me,” Ashley said, hot on his heels. He turned around to face her hesitantly. She used the chance to poke him, “Where. The. Hell. Have. You. Been.” With one poke into his chest for one word.
Owodog grimaced but dared not complain. “I uh… Oh! It’s getting late. We should get room service.” He said, reaching for the telephone.
Ashley was almost growling at him. “Owodog Zhuang Hao Quan! ANSWER ME. RIGHT NOW. If not you’re going nowhere.”
Owodog raised his hands in surrender as he backed off from the telephone. From the look on his face, Ashley might as well have been pointing a knife at him.
“Do you want to talk or not?”
“I’m, UH, feeling kind of hungry. Can we t–t–t–talk over food?”
Ashley thought about his suggestion for a while, then said, “Fine.”
Owodog felt as if she had just stopped pointing the knife at him and kept it away.
Ashley threw the menu at him.
He hadn’t seen it coming and it hit him square in the jaw. “God, Ash!”
She merely shrugged.
While waiting for their orders to arrive, both of them sat around in silence. Owodog was trying to organize what he had to tell Ashley, while Ashley was busy being worried about Fabien and themselves.
The situation stayed that way for about twenty minutes. And then Owodog was preoccupied with gobbling up his dinner.
“So, what exactly are you hiding from me?”
Owodog choked on his noodles. He was almost sure the soup was coming out his nose.
“See, I knew you were hiding something from me.”
Owodog remained silent.
“Hurry up, you blockhead.”
He cleared his throat. “You know, that night?”
Ashley felt like bashing him up. She was definitely close to hitting his head. “What night?” She said between gritted teeth. “And I’m asking you about where you went just now, in case you have forgotten. Don’t try to change the topic again, you bozo.”
“Yeah, I was trying to talk about just now. Except— ARGH. It’s all related, all right?” Owodog said. “I went to look for Elisha just now.”
“Who’s Elisha?”
“You see! I tried to tell you the whole story, but you insisted that you wanted to know what I was up to just now.”
“Calm down, puppy. What’s gotten into you today, huh?”
Owodog was worked up, but that was because he was still wondering if he should go through the entire details with Ashley, which meant including the fact that he slept with Elisha on the night when Fabien almost violated her. He didn’t want to mention that mainly because obviously when he went to look for Ashley after that, she had been looking for something more than a kiss.
“Seriously, I don’t know,” Owodog said. “Remember that night? When you called me in the wee hours of the morning?”
Yeah, of course she did. It was the reason why Fabien was lying in the hospital in a critical condition.
“I did it for the case, okay? It was the only hope of getting more information without unnerving or alerting anyone.”
“Yeah, right, and I’d know what the heck you did if you didn’t tell me.” Ashley rolled her eyes at him.
“You wanted me to stay with you. But I didn’t want to… Uh… Because my brain was still inundated from the sex with Elisha.”
Ashley blinked at him. “So that’s what you’ve been keeping from me?”
Owodog nodded.
Then Ashley started chuckling.
“What?” Owodog asked, feeling slightly offended.
“Oh my God, must you be so afraid to tell me that? And because you were so afraid, you made me so scared as well because I thought you wanted to tell me that you’ve turned gay or you’re actually the murderer’s accomplice.”
“Hell, NO! In the first place, if you’re thinking otherwise, NO, I haven’t given you up and I’m not likely to do that anytime soon. And secondly, NO, because I wouldn’t even think of hurting my best friend.”
Ashley shrugged as she grinned. “Okay, that’s nice to hear.”
“Which of it is nice to hear? The ‘never giving you up’ part or the ‘never gonna hurt my best friend’ part?”
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->shuang.dao
hello! i apologize for the delay in posting this chapter. it was supposed to have been up two days ago but i was kind of lazy haha. anyhows. ahhh one chapter closer to the end.
chapter 13's... quite a quiet chapter with nothing much happening. anyhows. chapter 14 should be better. hopefully. hehhs. alrighty. comments! :D