Letting Go Ch.5
By Maia

~ San Diego, California ~

Ken rushed out the chair and was the first to the phone. He tossed a glance at the ceiling and said a ‘very’ quick prayer. Taking a couple of breaths, he calmly picked up the receiver.

“Ken Masters here.”

---Ken’s POV---

“Ken Masters here.”

An exasperated voice answered. “Yes Mr. Masters? I have information concerning the Li case.”

“Well? What is it? Have you found her?” Ken was becoming extremely impatient. He could hear telephones ringing in the background, blurred by streaming voices. Then hearing a door slam, the noise ceased.

“We checked Miss Li’s apartment sir.” Then, the voice hesitated.

Ken was way beyond impatient now. “AND?!!!”

“The place…it was…completely torn apart, sir.”

There was silence on the other end.

“Sir? Mr. Masters are you there?”

Ken tightly shut his eyes and forced the pain away.

“Yes I am still here.” He commanded himself to stay strong.

“Sir, we found something at the scene that---.”

Ken’s eyes shot open. “What?!”

“A-a tape. Addressed to you and unidentified ‘Ryu’…sir. We have not yet been able to make contact with-”

Ken cut him off. “Have you listened to it?”

“No sir, we decided to wait for your consent.”

Ken thought for a moment. “Detective, you do not have my consent. Ryu and I will both arrive in Hong Kong momentarily. Keep the tape confidential and allow ‘no one’ privilege to access it.”

“But---”

“No objections.”

There was no response.

Raising his voice, he spoke again. “Detective! Do I make myself clear?!”

“I-I understand, Mr. Masters. No one will be able to.”

Ken hung up the phone. Placing his hands flat on the table to hold his weight, he lowered his head. Ryu, who had been right by Ken’s side, placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked at Ryu. Just by outer appearances, it was apparent that he had not moved a muscle ever since the call came.

“Well?” Ryu was about to have a breakdown if he was kept in the dark about any more details.

Ken looked his best friend in the eye; determination was locked on to his expression.

“We’re going to Hong Kong.”

~?????? ~

Chun Li’s tears slowly subsided. She heard a creak and looked up. The door to the cell had been opened. Someone emerged from the darkness, out of the shadows. Her eyes widened, as she scrunched back further into the corner with horror.

“You….”