Bitter Pill by Bill Blume

Author:Bill Blume [Bill Blume]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Time Killer Publishing
Published: 2024-05-16T00:00:00+00:00

The moon shines through narrow openings in the forest canopy forming scattered blades of light. Chung-Li lives in these woods on the slopes of a mountain north of Hong Kong.

“Are you familiar with this place?” Frederick whispers.

I nod. We are near where I hunted many times with my father. “This trail leads up into the mountains.” Chung-Li’s home lies near the end of this path.

The musky scent of wet earth reminds me of the day he let me kill a boar. Its body shuddered and struggled to crawl away, but it only swam in place, pushing leaves aside with its hooves. Ragged breaths and pained squeals gasped from its snout.

The memory is so vivid, it is palpable.

Papa gives me his dagger and taps between its shoulder blades, the best place to stab it in the heart.

“Most animals don’t hunt or hurt for spite.” Papa tells me. “They don’t deserve to suffer.”

“What about men?”

He smiles at me. “Depends on the man. Nothing scarier than a man’s last moments, the time between when they know they’re going to die and when death finally happens.”

He taps my intended target, that merciful spot between the boar’s shoulders.

Frederick’s voice draws me back from the memories that threaten to drown me. These memories are getting worse, more distracting, and I fear Frederick will notice my weakness.

“Just remember we want him alive.” I can hear the taunt in his words. “Perhaps you can kill him after we have what we need.”

He knows I am still displeased that he held me back with Doctor Manson.

Chung-Li’s house is little more than a hut. We find it off the road, just where the doctor said it would be.

The front door sits cracked open. Faint light beckons us.

We pause, well-hidden behind a grouping of trees. Just as we are going to discuss our approach, Chung-Li emerges from the front door.

He looks in our direction.

“Join me, please.” He says in perfect English.

The man has been expecting us. The realization worries me. I can think of no reason for a man to invite an assassin and a spy into his home.

Frederick shrugs. “No point in hiding now.”

We step out from our hiding place. Chung-Li smiles to us. The sincerity of the priest’s smile is not what I expect. This angers me.

We cannot see the trap, if there is one. Something in me knows no trap exists. That certainty fuels my desire to run away, but I force myself forward.

Frederick enters the hut first.

Chung-Li sits behind a small table. There is a pot of hot tea and three cups. A candle on the table burns, providing our only source of light.

“Welcome to my home, Miss Sharpe and Mr. Talbot. Will you share tea with me?”

Frederick draws an Ediswan Incapacitater from his coat. The black, metal weapon resembles a handgun, but the long fat barrel has no opening, only a pair of fangs to release an electrical charge sufficient to shock the fight out of a charging tiger.

I pull out my dagger.

Chung-Li sighs and pours the steaming brew into just one cup for himself.

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