Just as he was about losing his consciousness. Fang Chou felt the weight vanish from his chest all of a sudden. The hands that had been choking him were gone.
His attacker flew sideways, knocked out cold by a kick so sharp it could have come from a martial arts master from the movie. He gasped for air, coughing hard as he tried to breathe again.
He rolled onto his side, sucking in air like he'd been drowning. His throat burned with every breath, and his eyes stung. But he was alive, and that was what mattered.
He pushed himself up, arms shaking from the adrenaline rush. He had to see who saved him.
Through blurry, teary eyes, he saw his rescuer. It was a tall dark-skinned man in tactical gear under a long black coat. He looked like some kind of soldier or cop, but then Fang Chou noticed something weird. A handle of a sword was sticking out from the coat.
The stranger nudged the knocked-out attacker with his boot, making sure he was out cold. That kick had been dead-on, sending the guy with the creepy red eyes crashing into a container so hard he was out, no question.
Fang Chou's mind filled with questions. Was this guy FBI? CIA? But why would he have a sword? The gear, the way he moved, that perfect kick all pointed at a trained federal agent to him. Well, not like he had met one but, it was just like someone come out from the movie. (Maybe he was chasing down the traffickers running this place,) he thought.
He stumbled forward, mustering up what little courage he had left. This was his chance to thank the man who saved him and get help for the people stuck in that container.
"Hello, sir!" he croaked. His voice was rough from almost being choked out.
The stranger turned, and Fang Chou saw his own reflection in the dark sunglasses. Who wears shades at night in this sketchy part of town? But then he thought it might be some high-tech gear, like in the movies.
"Thank you," Fang Chou said, rubbing his sore throat. "You saved my life. But listen, could I ask for your help? There are people nearby who need help badly."
The stranger didn't say a word, just stared through those shades. Fang Chou was getting anxious.
"Please," he said, voice rising. "I heard them crying and banging on the walls. There's a container full of people locked up."
Still nothing. The stranger stood there like a statue.
Finally, Fang Chou dropped to his knees, voice breaking. "I'm begging you! They're stuck in there, and I can't save them by myself. You look like you could handle this. Please help!"
Something finally clicked as he sigh and shook his head. He pulled out a syringe from his vest and jabbed it into the attacker's neck, quick and precise.
Fang Chou wondered if it was a sedative. But decided to ignore it as there's more important thing to do.
The stranger stood up and looked at him through those shades. When he spoke, it was with a low, flat voice that meant business.
"Where are they?"
Fang Chou felt a wave of relief and jumped up. "This way, sir!"
He hurried back through the containers, feeling hopeful now. Whoever this man was, he seemed like he could handle it. Those people were going to get help.
They got to the container, and Fang Chou's heart dropped. He had seen it but, the thing was locked up real tight with heavy chains and a massive padlock. The people inside were crying louder, like they knew help was close.
"It's tightly locked," he said, pulling at the chains.
The stranger looked at the lock for a second and said, "Step back."
Fang Chou's eyes bugged out as the man pulled a sword from his coat. A real sword, shining in the dim light. It slid out smooth, and the sound gave Fang Chou chills.
Before he could blink, in one swift motion, the blade sliced through the air and there was a loud clang. The chains and lock fell to the ground, cut clean through.
It was like something from those samurai movie he used to watch, but this was real. The guy put the sword away just as smoothly.
The doors creaked open, and a wave of stinky air hit them. It was sweat and fear, all mixed together.
Fang Chou had thought maybe thirty people were inside, but it was way more. Over fifty were crammed in there, looking like they hadn't eaten or slept in days. Their clothes were torn and dirty.
As soon as they saw the way out, they all rushed forward, desperate to escape. Fang Chou jumped out of the way as they poured out, running for their lives. Most were young women around his age, some teens, and a few older folks, all with that scared look in their eyes.
In no time, they were gone, scattering into the night. All that was left was the sound of footsteps fading away.
Fang Chou was catching his breath, trying to wrap his head around what just happened. When he looked for the man who saved him, he was gone already, like he'd never been there.
Fang Chou too, wanted to move along but then as he take a look inside, he see some kind of silhouette that shaped like person. So, even when his mind already telling him to not go, he decide to check into the container. That's when he saw her. A woman was lying still in the corner, not moving.
He walked over carefully, squinting to see better. She was out cold, barely breathing. Her blonde hair was a mess, and her skin was pale and sweaty. She looked dehydrated and worn out.
Then he saw the bruises on her arms and how her leg was bent wrong. The others must have trampled her in their hurry to get out.
He felt for a pulse. It was weak, but there. She looked about his age, maybe younger, but the stress made her seem older.
Her clothes were torn and dirty, but he could tell they used to be nice, like expensive.
She moved a little when he touched her, eyes half-opening. She whispered something in a language he didn't know.
He was on his own now, with an injured woman who couldn't even stand. The other people had run off, probably hiding somewhere.
(I can't just leave her.) The thought hit him hard. The traffickers might come back. Even if they didn't, she needed a doctor fast.
He picked her up as carefully as he could. She was light, too light, which meant she'd been starved and mistreated. His skinny arms shook under her weight. Each step felt heavy, his muscles screaming, but he gritted his teeth and kept going. He had to get her safe place.
Her head rested on his shoulder as he walked out of the container, trying not to hurt her more. The cool night air hit his face.
He carried her to the bus stop. She wasn't heavy, but he wasn't strong either. He struggled as he was also weary from the long overtime he had done. Still, he pushed on
Finally, he saw the bus stop under a weak streetlight. He set her down on the bench as gently as he could. Her head tilted to the side, hair covering part of her face. The light showed how bad she looked. She was pale and thin, with bruises all over.
Her eyes opened, and Fang Chou froze. She had beautiful blue eyes, but they were red around the edges, like the other victims.
She started talking fast in that same language, that Fang Chou kind of heard somewhere but forgot about it. Her voice was weak but had a beautiful tone, even though she was scared.
He held up his hands slowly, trying not to scare her. "Hey, it's okay," he said softly. "Do you understand English?"
She looked around, scared, then back at him. His calm voice seemed to help. She saw his kind eyes and relaxed a bit.
"I speak a little," she said. Her accent was thick. "Where am I?"
He felt relieved she understood. "You're safe," he said slowly. "You're free now. They can't hurt you."
She looked confused. "Free?"
"Yeah, free. I'll take you to a hospital for your injuries, then to the police," he said.
"Hospital? Police?" She looked scared.
"To help you," he said quickly. "To make sure you're alright."
She tried to sit up, but it hurt. "Where is this?"
"You're in America, New York City," he said.
Her already pale face went even whiter. "America?" she whispered, like it was a world away.
She was about to ask more, but the bus pulled up with a hiss.
Fang Chou looked at his watch. Somehow, he wasn't late. The doors opened.
"I need to get you to a doctor," he said softly. "Can I carry you on the bus?"
She was still scared but nodded. His kindness was somehow touching her, and she trusted him a little.
He picked her up again. The bus was empty except for the driver, an older man with a weathered face.
"Excuse me," Fang Chou said, helping her into a seat. "This is an emergency. Can you take us to Bellevue Hospital? I know it's not on your route, but she needs help fast."
The driver looked at them, saw how bad she looked, and nodded. "Alright, hold on."
The driver sped through the streets as fast as he could. Streetlights whizzed by as they headed to the hospital. She leaned on Fang Chou, breathing lightly.
Ten minutes later, they were at Bellevue's emergency entrance. The lights were bright and welcoming.
"Thanks a lot," Fang Chou said, giving the driver some extra cash as he helped her off.
"Take care of her," the driver said, then drove off.
The doors slid open, and the hospital smell hit them. Fang Chou led her to the desk.
"We need help," he said to the nurses.
A nurse looked up and saw how bad she was. "Bring her here," she said, pointing to a bed.
They laid her down, and another nurse started checking her. "She needs fluids right away," she said.
"Who is she to you?" the first nurse asked Fang Chou.
He couldn't tell the truth. It would cause too much trouble. "I found her on the street, passed out," he said.
The nurse nodded and kept working. Christina opened her eyes briefly.
"What's your name?" the nurse asked softly.
"Christina," she whispered with thick accent.
"You're safe now, Christina. Don't worry and get some rest," the nurse said as Christina closed her eyes again.
______________________________
Fang Chou came back to the present, looking at his kids. The office felt heavy.
"After all that, I called Leo, who was new at USCIS at that time. He said we had to keep Christina hidden because she was here illegally. Leo said she had to lay low for a year or two, just like with Arvin now."
Jeremy and Cynthia were all ears, forgetting their fight as they learned about their mom's history.
"So, I didn't take her to the cops like I planned," Fang Chou said. "Leo warned me the traffickers might be still looking for her and the other. After settling the hospital bill, I took her home to my parents. They were surprised, but both of them were on board after I explained the reason."
"At first, I wasn't sure about staying," Christina chimed in. Her accent was stronger with emotion. "It meant not going home for years. But then I thought about why I was taken."
She spoke softer. "I had snuck out to a party against my dad's rules. If I went back, I'd be trapped again, probably married off as a bargaining chip to expand his business connection. The only one I missed was my mom, who actually loved me. As for your uncle, he was not as bad as my dad but, he was still dad son, after all."
She took a breath. "But here, I found a real family. Fang Ren wasn't my dad, but he was everything I wanted in one. He was kind and fair and straight with me. Fang Mei also treated me as if I was her long-lost daughter. So I stayed."
"Six months in, I realize that Fang Chou liked me," Christina said, smiling a bit. "At first, our relation was kind of a close friend but, after remembering he'd risked so much for me, I started to feel the same way."
"A year later, after she had stayed almost two years on our house, I braved myself and asked her to marry me," Fang Chou said. "I honestly felt super nervous at that time as the limit of two year hiding was near. The thought of maybe she will go back and I might not see her again, pushed me to ask her. Fortunately, she felt the same and she said yes." Fang Chou said as his gripped her hand tightly.
"We had a small wedding a month after that, just some of your dad friends from work and Leo with his wife Jenny, who was pregnant," Christina smiled.
"Then you two came along a year and half later," Fang Chou said to the twins. "But six months after that, my dad, unfortunately, passed away from a heart attack at sixty-two. That's why you never met him."
The room was quiet as they took it all in. Jeremy joined his hands, thinking. Cynthia's face softened with understanding.
"Sorry for earlier," she said softly.
Fang Chou and Christina shook their heads.
"It's okay," Fang Chou said. "We taught you to be careful with strangers."
Jeremy grinned a little. "Well, now I know our family story. It's pretty wild stuff to learn. History's really great."
______________________________
Cynthia refocused here self as Arvin finished writing all the letter.
Saturday morning, sunlight filled the living room where Cynthia and Arvin sat at the coffee table. English books and cards were scattered around.
(Chinese) "Let's go over the letter again," Cynthia said, pointing to the chart. "Each letter sounds different."
Arvin nodded and followed along. He picked it up fast. In half an hour, he had the sounds down, just a little accent.
(Chinese) "Nice job," Cynthia said, impressed. "You're catching on quick."
(Chinese) "Thanks for being patient," Arvin smiled. "I know it's your rest day but you still spare some time to teach me."
She shook her head. (Chinese) "You need to learn if you're staying here. Cause you will eventually have to talk to people beside us."
Watching him say each letter, Cynthia felt better about him. Her parents' story made her see things differently. Just like her family helped her mom, now they could help Arvin.
She wouldn't tell him about her mom's past. That was private. But she could teach him what he needed to get by.
(Chinese) "Next, we'll do simple words," she said, turning the page. "Words for everyday talk."
Arvin sat up straight, eager to learn. Even with all the craziness that got him here, he was ready to make it work. And with the Fang family helping, maybe it wouldn't be so hard.
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Hey guys!
Back again with another weekly chapter!
Sorry for the late delay again.
I don't have much to say except the reason was the same as last week.
So, if you notice there's something to fix, then feel free to point it out in the comment.
Hope you'll enjoy reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it!
As always, thanks for sticking with me on this journey. Let's keep enjoying the story together!