Weekend Special Short Tales California 2.4 Chapter 6

 6.

 

“I want the Hotel surrounded.” The one who gave the command was a tall lanky Chinese guy dressed in the blue three pieces suit. He arrived with four SUV’s at precisely 0001hrs and he had with him in each vehicle four passengers. They were all armed and had fanned out as instructed.

“Charlie---” The figure in the blue suit held up his right hand. He was carrying a long duffle bag on his left shoulder.

“Use my rank.”

“Yes, Dragon Nine. We can’t go in. It’s the Hotel California. Its ---”

“Protected? I know but the man who killed my brother is in there. He will be given vengeance.”

“Dragon Nine, this is not sanctioned by the Elders. We will be punished ----.” The other pressed the point but stopped when the one named Dragon Nine had the nine inches dagger leveled at the throat of the other.

“I will avenge my brother. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Dragon Nine, we need to reconsider.” The dagger went into the throat.

“The blood is warm when the person lives but when dead the blood is cold.” Dragon Nine smiled. “I liked it cold.”

Then five more SUV arrived, and fifteen more men joined Dragon Nine. They were armed with heavy fire power. With his other men, they numbered fourteen and the newly arrived fifteen, he has an army. All was armed with the Chinese Type 56 or the AK 56. It’s a variant of the Soviet-designed rifle of the Russian AK 47. It held an effective range of four hundred meters.

“We got to get the old man in there and be done quick. If more than that, we will be dead.” Dragon Nine looked at his assembled army. “Now play that music please.”

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (any time of year)
You can find it here

Dragon Nine or his true name Charlie Sang listened to that song with his elder brother since young. It was their father’s favorite and soon became theirs. They will sing and dance to the tune. He once tortured a victim with the music playing in a loop; it took six hours before he killed the victim.

“Don’t shoot the Doctor. She is mine.” Charlie told the others. His portable rang and he knew who it was.

“Good afternoon, my Godfather. May the days to come be blessed with more fun and offerings.”

“Dragon, don’t be a fool.” The one on the phone was the Grand Master from Macau, China. The leader was the Mandarin in the rank. “I was to have my lunch and the call came in. More to it, the Hotel is ---“.

“Protected? This is not our ---” Charlie was to argue back. He disliked the Western life there but back in Macau, he had annoyed one too many other leaders and his life was in the protection of the Godfather.

“The Hotel is a chain and here in the far country, we have our own. Hotel Macau, so don’t do it. You will be ostracized. And I can’t protect you no more.”

“I hear you, Godfather but this is my call. He will pay.”

“But she is there. She could be hurt. We cannot have that.” The leader made the plea. “I am ---"

“She won’t be. I know her position and will ensure her safety. I got someone inside. She will protect the Doctor. Now let me do my task.”

“Tee Chan,” Charlie was addressed by the Godfather. “I still love you. I brought you extra time. One hour was all I could do. The clock will show 1212hrs here. No one will come there for the white hoodlums. Do it by 1300hrs and all will be cleared. And don’t harm the Doctor. And more to it, after today, you are no more my Godson. I have enough of your antics. I will do the needed offerings if you die first.”

The Godfather hung up on Charlie Sang.

Charlie knew the Godfather will call off the others not for him but the Doctor. He had selected his men well; they will kill or die for him. And he will do the same for them. They all wore body armor and held extra clips. He liked his men, they were brothers.

“Form a cordon on the road here. We got an hour. Take six of you. The others will go with me to the Hotel. I want it covered.”

Charlie stopped after a few steps. The LED sign board there gave this message; FULLY BOOKED. CALL US AGAIN.

He looked to his men and his watch read as 0020hrs.

“Get the launchers from the car boots, and also the extra C4 from there.” Charlie told his men. “I want it now.”

In the hotel, Glenn saw the new army that was approaching the place. He turned to Danny.

“We got company.”

“How many?”

“I counted about twenty of them. I think Dragon was there.” Glenn replied. “I think they took the whole squad here.”

Glenn knew the Triads. He had once a near scuffle with Charlie Sang at a nightclub in the city. It was over the drinks and soon, Glenn had the broken wine bottle at the neck of Charlie, surrounded by five of the Triad Members while three others were on ground injured in the fight.

“You are ten minutes from the Hotel but I doubt you could reach there before you bleed out.” Glenn pressed then broken bottle at Charlie’s main jugular veins.

“You have no more than that if my brothers attack you?” Charlie had challenged back. Glenn looked to his watch.

“I give myself a minute of watching you bleed will be fine.:” Glenn chuckled. It was Robert who came to ease the standoff. He offered the fight to end with both sides calling it even. It was agreed and that was how Glenn survived his first meet with Charlie.

The second time was that night at 2000hrs when Glenn was called to intercept the convoy at the junction ahead

“Get to the fore. I got my dad in need of surgery. Hotel California.” That was Danny.

“Plot me a course to the Hotel California.” Glenn told Randy who was the driver then. The rest was all here.

“They should know the Hotel is protected. Why the risk?” Danny tried to sound out his concern. “My dad is in here.”

“Your dad should not have shot his brother. It was not his sworn brother but his real one. Robert Sang Te Kung was his name. They shared the same family name.” Glenn had listened in on the communications.

“Robert Sang insulted my dad. He was shot for that. How was I know that my father was a bad shooter? His shot missed the head and reached the heart.”

“And for that, Charlie wounded your father and we are here and he is outside. I ---” Glenn was cut off.

“You can’t leave. I will double your fees. If you kill Charlie, I will triple it.” Danny offered to Danny.

“Forget your money. I am leaving.” Glenn tossed the shot gun down. He walked to the door and heard the gun clicked.

“One more step and I will shoot you here.” Danny cautioned Glenn.

“Don’t worry, Glenn. I got you covered.” It was Randy but the others had their guns trained on him.

“Mexican stand-off huh?” Danny laughed. “I like that but can we get back to the business on hand. Kill the triads outside first.”

Business was usual at the third level at 2332hrs.