Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 356

Looking at his direction, I found his target – a wealthy-looking white man heading toward the entrance of the Bank. Quick as a flash, the driver rolled down the window and aimed. I had no choice but to throw my weight to one side of the van. With the weight of the ammunition on my side, the whole van did a spin and the driver turned the wheel vigorously as if attempting to twist it off its hinges! This move ended up with the front part of the car hitting a tree trunk, and the driver unconscious. Miraculously, the metal bar in front of me bent at an angle that could be used to cut away the ropes strapping me to the back seat. Before long, police cars filled the scene, and I saw another car following the police. The driver of that car came out and I heard a familiar voice, “How come you are here?” It was Pete. He was my old colleague when I was still in CIA in America. I had no idea that he would be here. “Look at your hand. It’s got to be from the crash! Come on, I’ll bring you to my place.” At last! Some peace and quiet. We spent the night looking up information about the Rainbow Crystal in the files as thick as a dictionary. I found some information that mentioned Chen Xin, the mysterious collector who lived on Peking Road. Not wanting to waste any precious time, we went to Peking Road in search of Chen Xin the next morning. “Knock Knock.” Pete and I knocked on the wind–battered door of a cottage at one end of Peking Road near the Missionary Quarters. The door creaked open slowly, and an old man cladded in thick woolen coat greeted us with a wide smile on his weather-beaten face. “How can I help you, young fellas from afar?” “Are you Mr. Chen?” “Yes. Come in first.” We stepped into the old but spacious co ttage. I was greeted by the decoration of gems and crystals and straight away I knew that we went to the right place. We told him that our mission was to find the Rainbow Crystal, which the Triads were searching for at the same time. Mr. Chen gazed into space and muttered, “I just wanted to borrow it to heal my dying wife, but he was such a miser. I had no choice…” Mr. Chen turned to us and whispered, “Follow me.” We hurried through dark alleys and brightly-lit main streets, straight paths and winding roads not far from the Huangpu River. The faint smell of opium followed us at every turn. We stopped at an inn and went inside. The smell of alcohol mixed with opium was distinctive. People laughed and shouted and didn’t even notice us. We walked past them and went upstairs to a room full of mysterious items. “Wow!’ Pete said, astounded. The old man pointed his finger to the other end of the room, where a camphor treasure chest was. Inside the treasure chest was none other than the Rainbow Crystal! It was the most beautiful object I had ever seen with all seven colours of the rainbow shining brilliantly, lighting up the whole room. Just as Mr. Chen took the crystal in his hands, the door flew open.