Two - Chengdu

Bolin heard the cordless phone crash to the floor then a thump. He heard his mother yell at his father then he heard his mother crying. "Maaaaaaaaaa!" He screamed trying to get her attention.

His distraught mother pulled the phone to her ear. "Bolin?"

"Ma, is dad okay?" Bolin felt like crap for calling his father.

But his father began to move and his wife helped him to a nearby chair. Bolin heard his parents talking among themselves before his father's voice returned to the phone.

"He is selling humans again, isn't he? He said he stopped. But the money is addicting and easy." The father asked his wife for water before continuing. "Watch your back, you will not be safe my son. Chen knows the life sucking 356 pay big for humans."

Bolin frowned and nervously paced his office "The 356! Who the hell are the 356?" He silently swore to himself 'fuck'!

"Are you sitting, son? Well, sit." The father was about to fill his son in on the most notorious group of people on earth. "They are the epitome of scum, son. They care only for the money they make in the trade of humans into modern slavery and the sex trade. Doesn't matter which, their lives are over when the grip of the 356 reaches out for them."

The father felt stronger now and continued his verbal assault on the people in the 356. "They began over 150 years ago. Sure slavery is older, but they streamlined everything when three families came together. One family hunted people, another found buyers and the third family began pressuring governments."

"Business was brisque and profits were high. They wanted the easy money to always be there so they added a couple more families who were judges. Their web grew. The more it grew the more control they had over individuals. Then they focused on governments. Once they had a country in their dirty hands their power grew and soon many countries capitulated to their demands to extract humans from their countries." The father stopped but there was a nagging omission.

"How did they make us capitulate?" Bolin asked his father.

Bolin's father drew in a deep breath. "Money makes many men weaken their morals, son. Turning a blind eye was all that was needed to profit from this, the 356 did the rest." That was it, there was no more to tell.

"Can you help me stop uncle Chen?" Bolin was sickened by the idea of his country being part of this seedy market. "I don't care if they kick me out of Beijing, Dad. I won't let this go on!"

"First, do not act quickly and speak to no one of this. Very important!" His father was adamant.

"Too late I spoke to someone, Dad. You wouldn't know him but I opened my mouth." Bolin was kicking himself for moving so quickly. "He is a friend of Chen's son, Bo. I bet they are already onto me!"

"Phone Fan, tell her to have Gembira ready in ten minutes. I will send my friend to pick them up and get them out of the city." His father knew how quickly men were when they are being weeded out. "Go! Now!"

Bolin quickly called his wife who was singing karaoke with Gembira pressing her palms over her ears. "Fucking answer, Fan!" He began to pace and hung up before the voicemail answered and tried again and again. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!"

"Everything okay, Bolin?" Uncle Chen arrived when everything was not okay. Everything was falling apart in Bolin's world and the senior Interior Minister knew this.

Before turning to face uncle Chen, he adjusted his tie and buttoned his jacket. "All good, uncle. Where to?"

The cat and mouse game had begun with both checking their watches. Bolin counting down the minutes hoping his father's friend makes it to his house in time. Uncle Chen knew that getting his wife and child would be very important to quieting his junior. And just in case he was more fond of LiLi he had her taken from his apartment.

SHANGHAI

Back in Shanghai at Bolin's home, Fan heard loud knocking at the front door. She turned the music off, looked at Gembira then leisurely walked to the door. The men on the other side waited.

Fan unlocked the door and the men rushed through. "Fan, you need to come with us. Get Gemma, there is no time to explain. Your husband sent us. The car is waiting."

It all happened so quickly that Fan did what the men asked and as she grabbed Gembira she asked. "Why didn't my husband call me?" She checked her cellphone. "Oh!" Three missed calls from Bolin.

"I'll carry your daughter. Let's go!" The two men rushed Fan and Gembira to the car that was still running.

"Where are we going?" Fan asked.

"To the airport. We will fly to Xiamen." The driver spoke in a cheery voice trying to keep the passengers from being frightened. "We'll figure out where to go from there. You'll be safe."

Another car pulled up to Bolin's home and the man ran to the front door. He did not knock, the door was ajar and he slowly pushed it open. "Fan? Fan!" He walked through the home. Nothing out of place, no signs of a struggle just a blue screen on the television.

He called Bolin's father. "Sir, there is no sign of Fan Bo or Gembira. They have them. I am sorry, Sir."

Hung Tsui looked to his wife. "They have Fan and Gembira." He could see the fear in her face. He held his wife realizing they may never see their daughter in law or grand child ever again.

BEIJING

Bolin and uncle Chen left the building and climbed into back seat of the Volkswagen Passat. The senior minister directed the driver. "Siji Minfu."

Uncle Chen loved the finest of everything in life. The best scotch, the best mistress, the best suits and the very best food. Siji Minfu was proving to be his favorite restaurant and the staff there treat him like royalty.

Uncle Chen walked in as if he owned the restaurant and the staff were instructed to keep his table reserved all times. Once seated he expected a glass of the best scotch to be placed in front of him moments later. If he had a guest, then the same would be placed in front of the guest.

Bolin was looking for ways to survive and quickly spoke, "I want in." For him that meant, 'I want in to save my family'. But in uncle Chen's mind it was already too late.

"Okay Bolin, I have a task for you. It will require time in Chengdu. My driver will take you to the airport after dinner." The senior Interior Minister expected complete submission. "There is a delicate situation that requires one of us. Go and show me you really want in."

For the moment this was the way to survive and agreed to uncle Chen's "task". It bought him a little time to figure out what he could do. Going to Chengdu meant uncle Chen was not truly buying that he bought into this, he was far too opposed to it. What Bolin needed was his personal assistant to help him get ahead of the senior minister.

The food arrived and uncle Chen took a call that seemed to put him in a very good mood. Which made Bolin feel like his life was about to explode into a million pieces. He knew nothing about Fan and Gembira but hoped his father had them safe.

Bolin's phone vibrated, he hoped for the best but just had that aching feeling that all was not well. He was not going to excuse himself to read the text, he would go to the airport and try to figure things out. Drawing extra attention right now was a very bad idea.

Uncle Chen's driver came to the table showing Bolin this was all prearranged. The senior minister nodded to his driver then informed his junior. "It is time, Bolin. Call me when you get to Chengdu."

Bolin played it cool. He survived dinner now to get through the night. He knew he couldn't get on that flight to Chengdu or he would be dead by morning. "Thank you, uncle." That was all he wanted to say as he suppressed his emotions.

Bolin would play this game uncle Chen's way until he could make his own move. The driver led the way to the Passat, opened the door for the junior minister then sped off to the airport. Then he pulled his cellphone from his jacket.

It wasn't a message from his father it was a photo of Fan and Gembira with a one word caption, 'silence'. Bolin understood the message. "Shit."

He texted his personal assistant.

BOLIN: Chee, meet me at the airport, Chen has my wife and daughter. He will try to silence me tonight.

CHEE: I never trusted that old bastard.

BOLIN: Use only your trusted contacts...I want to know where Fan and Gembira are. See ya at the airport.