Leo overslept the next day. He woke up only see the hand of the alarm clock on the desk pointing to eleven o"clock. This was quite a rare sight for someone like him who never gave himself the chance to relax or laze off even when he wasn"t working. As the head of the serial murders investigations team, there was no need for him to report his daily actions to anyone. However, he was self-disciplined, his mind was like a taut rubber band, rigid and firm; he never allowed himself to get off track, and he never deviated from his path with even a minor misstep.
But today, he’d realized that the tense elastic constraint appeared to have become slack, and the only explanation he had for this was the sleeping drugs. I probably shouldn"t take anymore before I get addicted. Maybe I"ll go ask the doctor to prescribe me another medicine, he considered.
After washing quickly, he immediately picked up his coat, preparing to go outside, when a voice called out to him from behind, "Have a meal before you leave. You still have time, right?"
Leo turned his head around and saw Li Biqing wearing an ap.r.o.n and carrying a spatula in one hand. He apparently just came out of the kitchen. He smiled gratefully at him, "I accidentally fell asleep on the couch last night. It was you who brought me back to the bedroom. Thank you."
"No problem," Leo replied, "I"m heading off to work."
"I know, but well, let"s have a meal. Does the office provide free lunch?"
"No, but there are some pizzerias and fast food burger places around the corner. I can call for takeout."
Li Biqing exposed a hint of shock and sorrow on his face. He clutched at his chest as if his heart was deeply wounded, "Their pizzas and hamburgers are that delicious? Even better than my own home-cooked meals?"
Leo knew the other person was mostly joking around, but he still comforted him, "Just calling the other stuff "food" is a crime compared to the delicious meals you made."
Li Biqing spread out his arms wide, smiling, "Welcome to the light side1." Suddenly, his face changed, "—Gah! Oh no! The fire"s still on!"
Leo couldn"t help but chuckle watching the boy"s back as he scurried off to the kitchen. At first glance, this Asian boy seemed so gullible and naive, but after getting to know him, he discovered his mind was sharp and profound, and his conversational skills could be rather eloquent. He could be considered a wise, reflective person, but he always fretted over trivial matters. Was this what people called a wise fool2? Regardless, it was quite the pleasure getting along with such a person.
In any case, he also wasn"t in that much of a hurry so he followed him to the kitchen.
Two dishes and one soup were set on the table: sliced beef with shiitake mushrooms, sweet and sour fish, and double-boiled chicken soup with bamboo pith. Li Biqing also held a dish of fried dace with salted black beans stir fried with Indian lettuce. He shifted on his feet in embarra.s.sment and said, "I turned off the fire too late. The vegetables aren"t crisp enough."
The aroma of the food made Leo"s fingers twitch in restlessness. He sprinkled black sesame seeds on top of the rice, and then he scooped a spoonful of the clear chicken soup and brought it to his mouth, giving it a taste. He sincerely commented, "If you plan to open a restaurant, I"ll definitely be stopping by and visiting with my colleagues."
"Thanks for the support, but I don"t plan on doing that." Li Biqing held a piece of lettuce between his chopsticks, wrinkling his brows as he examined it for flaws, "Speaking of work, I still don"t know what department you"re in. I heard Molly once say that you"re a federal law enforcement officer?"
Leo nodded, "The FBI Criminal Investigation Division. Just transferred to the headquarters in Washington D.C. last year, and now I"m in charge of a case. So I have to travel across the country." He smiled wryly as he said the last sentence. "You probably already know, but any major case in any state is basically ours to handle."
"I"ve heard of that; for example, the serial homicide case with the Green River Killer3 and that other serial-killer case—with the infamous Ted Bundy. But I also find it interesting that instead of focusing on large-scale criminal organizations, the FBI mainly focuses on targeting high-profile criminals known for kidnappings, robberies, or serial murders. Why"s that?"
Leo calmly put his chopsticks down and, out of habit, rubbed his chin, narrowing his eyes in thought. He was slightly surprised, "I"m not sure if you"re just sharp at observing stuff, but in fact, the answer is quite simple: compared to intricate criminal organizations that are far more difficult to deal with, one lone guy is easier to capture. In this way, we have impressive numbers of major cases solved when we release the data and statistics to the public, and at the same time, those notorious criminals can bring great sensational effects, increase our social reputation, so to speak—I also asked my supervisor about this matter when I first joined this line of work, and that"s the exact answer he gave."
Li Biqing was obviously feeling awkward and dissatisfied4 from hearing that answer, "So it turns out you guys are just picking on the weak5… Then who"s the notorious criminal you guys are chasing now—wait, don"t tell me, let me guess…" He stared blankly at the edge of his white bowl for a while, then he raised his head and declared with a fair certainty, "The Serial-Killer Killer?"
This was what the internet called Sha Qing, since he was a serial killer who targeted other serial killers. Leo couldn"t help but admire his keen sense and nodded, "You guessed correctly. This guy is, indeed, our primary target at the moment, and he"s also our most important." Looking at Asian boy"s eyes shine with interest, Leo figured that the other"s intense curiosity and love for mysteries, his detective-complex, was completely triggered. But now wasn"t the time to talk of such topics, and besides, there was a rule of confidentiality, and he had to follow protocol.
"I should go to work." Leo stood up and picked up his black coat hanging on the back of his chair. "As long as you don"t cause trouble or get yourself into anything, you can wander around the area. When I"m free, I"ll help you contact a language school."
Li Biqing thanked him and asked, "Are you coming back for dinner tonight?"
"Not necessarily. I may have to work overtime. Don"t wait for me, just eat without me."
"Okay," Li Biqing muttered, "But you know, if you only eat by yourself, you really don"t have any motivation to cook. Just fix a bowl of noodles, and there, everything"s solved."
Leo suddenly felt a pang of guilt from seeing his depressed mood, and he added, "If I"m not working overtime, I"ll give you a call—you have a cell phone?"
Li Biqing face lit up in hope and joy, "I"m going to buy a new mobile phone and a card today."
"Do that, then send a message to my number." Leo took a note and a pen from his pocket. After writing down his phone number, he tore of the page, put it on the table, and then turned away.
Li Biqing extended two slender fingers and lightly pinched the ripped memo between them, smiling faintly at his back.
Leo later received a text message with the contents, "It"s Biqing. This is my new mobile number. Call me when you"re free. I"m idle and bored." But because he was so busy questioning a new eyewitness and trying to determine whether this guy was trying to bait and mess with the FBI with his incoherent description, he had no time to reply back.
He ruthlessly threatened the senseless b.a.s.t.a.r.d, leading him to the local police station where they detained him and made him stay on the ice-cold floor, then he returned to the crime scene. By the time all of that was over, the sky was dark.
While sitting in his black Chevy SUV, munching on the fast food burger Rob bought for him, Leo contacted a private educational company that offered language training cla.s.ses. The opposite party a.s.sured him that he took great care of his students in order to ensure that the students could efficiently and successfully study at any university when their language level was up to standards, and he also guaranteed that they provided free guidance for those who were starting their university admissions applications.
Although Molly meant to entrust her boyfriend to the care and supervision of Leo before returning home, Leo had to consider all his occupational possibilities. He was often absent from his apartment, and his place wasn"t a fixed house; that, coupled with his likeliness of travelling to another state added to the fact that it was inconvenient to always take Li Biqing along with him, much less keep an eye on him. Therefore, the most desirable option was to enroll him in a language school and let him wait for Molly while he studied. As for that apartment, he could simply settle down there for the time being.
Often times, it was difficult for a person to live in a foreign country, especially if they didn"t understand the language. But after few days of being in contact with Li Biqing, Leo changed his perceptions of the young man. Although Li Biqing appeared to be wet behind the ears, he was remarkably self-sufficient. Perhaps he would be able to adapt to life here quickly. Leo, who had already made up his mind, called Li Biqing"s new number. He planned to let him know that he would be working overtime tonight, and he also wanted to send him the address of the language school as well as some additional contact information.
After dialing three times only to hear the ongoing dialing sound cut off each time, Leo suspected something was wrong. He immediately checked the message the other person sent a few hours ago and studied it. It wasn"t long before he figured out what the problem was. The boy texted him, "Call me when you"re free. I"m idle and bored." But, in reality, who would actually turn off their mobile phone while roaming unaccompanied in a foreign country? He refused to believe that a person who didn"t understand a lick of English would unceasingly play an English version of a mobile game until the batteries of his new phone ran out.
He dialed the number again, but as expected, it never connected. Leo"s feeling of anxiety increased, that dreadful feeling in his heart wouldn"t subside. However, it was nearly a two hour drive from his current location to the rented apartment. There were several other more convenient methods to confirm the other person’s safety rather than taking the longer main road and driving all the way back.
He promptly dialed a number and got straight to the point, "Serena, it"s Leo. You still at the office, right…I need you to do me a favor and find the location of this cell phone number." He gave her a string of numbers, paused for a moment, and then said, "Yeah, it"s off. And I need to get to the exact location."
Sitting at the reception desk of the Criminal Justice Information Center was a short, freckled, young girl wearing a large, black gla.s.ses. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she typed swiftly and accurately. She replied softly, "…Yes, I"m checking. But I hope the phone"s battery hasn"t been taken out… Okay, I"ve got a general location. Southwest of this city. I"ve just sent the specific directions to your mobile."
Leo hung up and hastily opened his mobile GPS. A single red dot flashed on his screen. The street marked by the bright red dot was more than an hour"s walk away from the apartment he rented, but the worst part about it was that the area was most famously known for being the city"s greatest gay district! The city publicly issued numerous same-s.e.x marriage certificates, in fact, the mayor of the city himself was out of the closet, openly flaunting his s.e.xuality! Any policies regarding h.o.m.os.e.xuality were completely lax, if not wholly absent. Gay parades and festivals were held every year, gay people kissed each other everywhere on the streets, and there was barely any discrimination—but that still didn"t mean he would be able to calmly watch his sister"s boyfriend wandering about in a gay district! It didn"t matter whether he voluntarily followed a person or if he was simply conned and kidnapped because of his language barrier—rather, the latter possibility was undoubtedly more likely, just based on the impression people got from his appearance alone!
Merely imagining Li Biqing with his pet.i.te build, pure and fresh style, delicate features, fair skin, his attractive face with an air of innocence, unguardedly strolling down the streets, so sweet and tender, practically a walking pudding, enticing everyone, making them feel as if they needed to taste a mouthful of it with a spoon or else they would be letting down their own mouths—Leo was incensed; he slammed his fists against the steering wheel!
Rob, who was happily munching on his Double Big Mac in the back seat, immediately received a great fright. The car abruptly slammed on its brakes, and sharply turned, swerving violently. The force made his meat patty slip from between the buns and flung it into the air; it stuck to the vehicle"s interior ceiling, creating an oil spot, and no sooner, it fell back down. "—G.o.ddammit!" Rob angrily thundered, scrambling to wipe the newly made grease stain on his shirt. "Can"t you at least give me a warning or a simple "Hey" before you suddenly do something like that, that way I have some time to prepare myself?!"
"Sorry, mate." His partner apologized without sincerity. "I"ve something to do downtown. And if you mind it, you can just get off anywhere."
"Like h.e.l.l I"ll f.u.c.king get out of this d.a.m.n car in the middle of this s.h.i.tty wilderness!" Rob grudgingly yelled. "If you suddenly thought of something that has to do with Sha Qing, then say it right here, right now! Don"t keep me guessing!"
Leo hesitated then admitted, "No, it has nothing to do with the case. It"s just a private matter I have to deal with… I"ll be stopping by downtown, you just do whatever you want."
"Fine, then I also want a day off tomorrow." Rob crossly demanded.
"Approved." Leo answered bluntly.
Thank G.o.d! There"s no endless overtime! There"s no standing next to the handsome Leo! And for a whole day! I can finally get rid of my fate as a wallflower! Go to a bar and grab myself a hot chick! Rob suddenly felt revitalized, as if a refreshing breeze washed over him. The gloomy darkness outside the window couldn"t hinder him from seeing the radiant joys in life; to him, that pitch-black scenery was exceptionally bright and beautiful.
Leo dropped Rob off when they came to street crowded with bars, then he continued to speed away to the location. The distance between the small blinking red light on the map and his car was rapidly decreasing, indicating that he was approaching the area, and with the sudden screech of the brakes, the Chevrolet SUV finally came to a stop at a dimly lit park entrance.
Leo hopped out of the car and onto the pavement, then looked at the surrounding forests and gra.s.sy hills. He felt conflicted, he didn"t know where to start—the GPS location sent by Serena wasn"t accurate enough to pinpoint an exact spot, as she only sent a general location. Several dozens of police officers would be needed if he wanted to quickly and thoroughly search the premises. And all for what? Because an FBI agent suspected that his sister"s boyfriend got into some trouble? Heck, he"d be on tomorrow"s news headlines if he did that.
Just when his pinched the bridge of his nose in weariness and considered whether he should report a possible case of kidnapping to the local police (since there was a mandatory waiting period for reporting a missing person, he couldn"t yet file a missing persons report), a staggering shadow emerged from the depths of the forest"s path, steadily making his way towards the park"s entrance with his head bowed.
Leo narrowed his eyes and stared as the other drew nearer. Sure enough, it was that familiar face colored with naivety-Li Biqing soon b.u.mped into him. He found that there was someone in front of him, and he slowly raised his head, as if he just woke up from a dream. "…Leo? Oh, what a coincidence. You"re also here."
The federal agent just couldn"t wait to slap the boy in front of him until he came to his senses. He inhaled sharply, taking a deep breath of the cool midnight air, and tried so hard to suppress the boiling fury flowing through his veins. He gnashed his teeth and grilled the boy for answers, "How could you just come here? Do you even know where this is?"
Li Biqing looked around, "A park? Portland has so many parks all over the place, and I don"t know which one of them. Why though…I remember going outside at noon to buy a cell phone and a new card. The salesperson was also Chinese and he kindly helped me send a text message. After that, I planned to take a short walk around the area…"
Leo had a sullen expression on his face, "So you decided to take a short walk, and you somehow ended up walking to an area that nearly two hours away?"
Li Biqing didn"t seem to have heard his question, he simply kept talking, "And before I knew it, a big white man suddenly knocked into me from behind then s.n.a.t.c.hed my wallet. I shouted at the thief and started running after him, and soon, I followed him into alley. Then, I was ambushed and attacked by two other men; I"m guessing they were his accomplices. And you see, the b.u.mp on the back of my head won"t go down." Feeling wronged, he stretched his neck and bent down, exposing the back of his head for Leo to touch.
Leo frowned then cautiously touched the back of his head. The swollen lump concealed by his chestnut-colored hair was burning; a small touch was enough to imagine the pain that followed. "That was too dangerous! Why"d you even chase the robber?! Haven"t you learned to call 911?!"
Li Biqing pouted, he stared at the ground depressingly, "It was just so sudden, and I forgot about it. By the time I did remember to report it, my cell phone had already been stolen."
"And after that? Did they hurt you?"
"I don"t know what happened when I fainted, but when I woke up, I was in the park… Although I couldn’t really understand it, the three people seemed to have said that they would play with me."
Leo was livid. Naturally, he was clear on what those street thugs were referring to when they said "play"… He gnashed his teeth and viciously snarled through his gritted teeth, "Those d.a.m.n sc.u.mbags!"
Out of professionalism, he was compelled to ask what had happened afterwards in order to fully understand the situation, such as whether there was any violence that occurred, what impression his attackers left on him, their appearance and any other characteristics, how he managed to escape from them…but his teeth were clenched, and he honestly didn"t want to question the boy any more. He forcefully grabbed Li Biqing"s arm and dragged him away. His voice was stern and cold as he ordered, "Get in the car!"
Sitting comfortably in the cozy car, Li Biqing gently kneaded his sore neck. He sighed contentedly, then leisurely proceeded to discuss the previous topic, "Where was I… Oh yeah, they said they wanted to play with me. They probably thought I was easily bullied, but my hands and feet weren"t tied, so I kicked my legs out and ran like crazy. Fortunately, it was a natural park, so I was able to take advantage of the landscape and throw them off my track for a while. Along the way, I met a few burly grandpas sparring with each other on the field. I guess they were afraid of being seen because they stopped chasing me after that. Both ways, I managed to get rid of those three perverts." He broke into a giggle when he came to the last sentence, his lips curled up with childish pride.
Leo slammed his foot down on the brakes!
His body trembled with rage, and his hand fiercely gripped Li Biqing"s throat, squeezing tightly and pushing him roughly against the car door. The back of his head banged harshly on the gla.s.s window. That penetrating cold and hard feeling made him shudder. Those inky-blue eyes burned with intense fury; at this moment, it was precisely like the turbulent waves of a sea during a brewing storm. It wholly occupied his field of vision. The handsome face that was only a breath away twisted in ferocious wrath, the man"s entire body exuded a ruthless and dangerous aura.
Li Biqing widened his eyes in surprise; he voicelessly moved his lips, choked and mouthed, "….Leo?"
Leo icy and sharp voice sounded directly near his ears, "You think it"s funny, don"t you? Another boring event in your insipid daily life, an experience that you can just jokingly chat and laugh about once it"s over? I really should just let you take a look at those photos of victims who"ve been kidnapped, raped, s.e.xually abused, mutilated! You know how bad the last case I took over was? Do you know how tragic that seventeen year old boy"s death was?! He was kidnapped by three men and tied to a trunk of a tree in the forest; he was gang raped and tortured for two days straight, until he was finally killed and abandoned! By the time we found him, he had ma.s.sive gash crossing his body from his chest to his s.c.r.o.t.u.m, even the pelvic bone could be seen, and mercury was also deliberately poured into the large hole in his skull! Can you even imagine the kind of pain and suffering he went through as he died?! If you weren"t so lucky today, what kind of body do you think I"d find?! You fool!"
Li Biqing froze in utter shock.
After the other party finished venting his anger, he forcefully shoved his neck away, panting heavily. The man"s broad chest underneath his black suit rose and fell with every deep, angry breath he took.
Li Biqing stared at Leo then suddenly reached out with his hand and gently brushed through his messy hair, softly whispering, "I know that I was very fortunate today—but good luck isn"t always so. I promise to never be so reckless again. And forget about my wallet being stolen, even if my wife’s taken, I won"t give chase."
Leo nearly laughed out loud because of him. The muscles in his face twitched as he tried composing himself again. It took him a while before he resumed a normal facial expression, "If Molly is taken, then you have to chase after her; otherwise, I"ll kill you!"
"Okay, I"ll do whatever you say." Li Biqing evened out the creases on his collar, and with a low, nasally tone, he added, "Can we go home and eat? I"m tired and hungry."
"It"s the middle of the night, and you want to return and turn on the stove. Nevermind. I"ll just find us a convenient restaurant to dine at." Leo heaved a sigh. He gave up on the idea on further educating this dangerous, naive fellow on common sense.
The original plan was completely sc.r.a.pped. He"d overestimated the other"s ability to properly take care of himself. If he left this guy alone in the city, he was afraid that in a few days, he"d see his name on the police"s list of victims. By then, Molly would not spare him, and he certainly would never be able to forgive himself.
The window was rolled down, allowing the midnight breeze in. Leo turned his head and glanced at Li Biqing who was sitting in the pa.s.senger"s seat. Under the pa.s.sing lights and shadows of the tall buildings, his subtle lips and lowered lashed possessed a trace of ethereal grace—the boy leaned his head against the back of the chair and had peacefully fallen asleep.
That gentle feeling at the bottom of his heart welled up once again. Leo gradually slowed down his car and eventually stopped at the side of the road. He took off his jacket and laid it on top of him, then he naturally extended his fingers and tenderly stroked his smooth, fair cheek.
This was simply a subconscious action. It was as if the pity in his heart overflowed, and these feelings would only dissipate with a slight touch. Even the man himself was unaware of how he"d treated this person who was male—this person who was also his future brother-in-law. But he didn"t think there was anything wrong with that.
The car remained motionless for a while, then it slowly started back up and smoothly merged with the flowing traffic under the street lights.
Author"s Note:
The introduction is finally over, now onto the official story (Case?)~
1He said, "欢迎弃暗投明。" Which is actually, Welcome (欢迎) + Renounce darkness for light (弃暗投明). Or, "Welcome to the light side."
2大巧若拙—Original: "Great art conceals itself/the wisest plays the fool/great wisdom appears stupid/a man of great skills is like an idiot/etc."
3American serial killer formerly known as Gary Ridgway. Convicted of 48 counts of first degree murder, presumed to have killed over 90.
4囧—it actually had this character, which can be used an emoticon to express shock, dissatisfaction, embarra.s.sment, frustration, etc., but I used awkward and dissatisfied in place of it.
5柿子捡软的捏— Shìzi jiǎn ruǎn de niē. Literal: "Pinch on soft persimmons." Means, "picking on those who are weak." .