Synopsis:

This is the story of two people who meet, fall in love and then discover many things about each other that changes their perception of how life should be. I wrote this story from an idea I got from a headline in a newspaper and it could have really happened.

Story:

Mialing
By
Arecee

Mark Conrad walked into Bellagio casino to spend a little time gambling to relax on the first vacation he had in three years. He had decided to come to Las Vegas to play, knowing that what happens here stays here. Mark loved playing Blackjack and considered himself a good player. Mark was a single man knowing that if he were to marry, divorce would be just around the corner. Mark you see is an undercover agent for the FBI and had been working in Atlantic City trying to form a connection between gambling and the underworld of crime. Part of his cover was playing a gambler that lost big and had to become part of the syndicate to payoff his debt. His gig was to lose whenever he played at blackjack. Because of this he learned how to count cards and since he was on his own time he figured he would put counting to use, just a little so he would remain even while in Vegas.

Mark was an average looking man around five-eleven tall and of average build. In his profession, looking average had its advantages. You would tend to blend in to the surroundings making it easier to find what you were looking for.

Mark sauntered to the first one hundred dollar table he could find and sat at the end of the deal, the counting end. Mark removed ten one hundred dollar bills from his wallet and placed them on the table for the dealer to exchange for chips. Mark looked at the dealer and read her nametag. It read “Mialing” and then the place of origin, “Hong Kong.”

Mialing was a beautiful Chinese girl standing five foot six with long black hair falling to her waist. She had a trim figure, as is usually the case with Asian girls of Chinese extraction. Her most exquisite feature though was her eyes. Mialing’s eyes were rounder than most Chinese women suggesting some sort of mixed heritage in the past. Mark was drawn to her eyes falling into their depths like a lovesick puppy. Mialing returned Mark’s chips to him with light dancing off her red sculpted nails.

Mark placed a chip in front of him and began to play. Mark was dealt eighteen and the dealer hit twenty, one chip gone. Mark placed another chip in front of him, was dealt a nine and a jack, dealer was dealt fifteen and drew an eight, Mark got his chip back, he was even. Mark watched as Mialing dealt the cards, hand after hand for an hour until he realized that he had lost his first thousand dollars and that he had watched her eyes so intently that he forgot to count the cards. I have to concentrate he thought, as he laid another thousand on the table. Mialing on the other hand was doing what she did best, distracting male counters with her beauty, that’s why she dealt the hundred-dollar table. Mark started counting and was finally able to regain his losses and then some. Mark knew the score in these casinos, win too much and they kicked you out so he let himself drift back into the depths of Mialing’s eyes. This winning and then seduction continued for two more hours until it was almost time for Mialing to take her break. It was fifteen minutes before her break was to begin that Mark realized that he had seen eyes like this before.

“Tommy,” Mark said in a questioning way but more as a statement.

Mialing looked up and Mark saw a slight look of recognition and then a twitch of her fingers. Mialing continued dealing and then the last hand before her break looked at Mark and said, “Tommy died seven years ago.” And then left her station. Mialing walked directly through the gaming area and out the door that said “employees only.” When Mark had heard her reply it startled him, she knows who Tommy is, I have to talk to her again, he thought. Following her now would have been impossible because Mark would have had to circle the gaming tables and the distance was too great to catch her, he would have to wait for her to return. His eyes watched as she walked, his gaze transfixed on her perfect figure, hair flowing down to her trim waist, her hips curving seductively out to her perfectly shaped legs. Mialing was wearing standard dealer apparel, white long sleeve blouse, black knee length skirt, panty hose and black shoes with one-inch heels, but even in boring clothes like these she caused a commotion among the young men playing cards. Most couldn’t afford playing large hands so they had to observe Mialing from a distance. When she walked, Mialing carried herself in such a way that she let men know that she was unapproachable, she would only excite them in their dreams.

Mialing entered the employee lounge after retrieving her meal from her locker. Mialing had access to free food as an employee but preferred to eat the healthy food she made for herself at home. She opened the top of the plastic container and poked her fork into a piece of grilled chicken and raised it to her mouth. Mialing would usually socialize with some of the other female dealers when she ate, but this evening she sat alone deep in thought.

“Tommy,” she thought, now there’s a name I haven’t heard for years, as she stared dreamily at her food.

***

“Hurry, down this alley,” shouted Preston Teng, as the two boys raced down the street and turned into the alley in downtown Hong Kong. The boys turned their heads as they heard the sound of the police flute being blown as the officers chased them. The boys dodged among trashcans and old men that were sitting next to the doorways as they ran to escape the pursuing police.

“We can’t keep this up much longer or they will catch us,” yelled Wing Hop Wong as they turned another corner.

“Quick, hide under that trash pile under the stairs, I’ll lead them away,” yelled Preston, back to Wing.

Wing dove into the pile of thrash, thinking, how could I be so stupid to do this and now I have to dive into this disgusting smelly garbage, just because I wanted a thrill, dumb, really dumb. Wing watched as the police ran by, knowing they didn’t see him in their haste to catch Preston. Wing stayed covered with the smelly gunk for several minutes until he felt safe to leave his hiding place. Wing walked out of the dark shadows of the alley into the bright sunshine on the wide street lined with shops selling everything from apparel to zebra skins. This was Hong Kong before the Chinese government took over, the capitalist center of Asia.

Wing slowly walked home hoping that some of the smell from the garbage would dissipate into the air. He also wondered if Preston was able to elude capture.

Preston and Wing had been friends their whole life, living in apartments across the hall from each other. Preston was fifteen and Wing was fourteen years old. Wing’s father was a jeweler and sold mostly gold since he didn’t have the capital to enter the diamond market and was able to support his family in a way that they didn’t want for much but also couldn’t be too extravagant. Wing had a younger sister who was ten years old. Both children went to a British private school because the father wanted his children to be able to speak English when Hong Kong was turned over to the communists and his family would have to flee the country.

Preston’s father sold clothing as a wholesaler and did about as well as Wing’s father but didn’t want to leave Hong Kong after the take over so Preston went to a different school than Wing. Preston had a wild streak in him and tended to do things before he thought of the consequences, hence the police chase earlier in the day. Preston had grabbed an apple from a vendor in the square and ran. The man called to the police and the chase began with the result being that Wing smelled like death.

When Wing arrived at home Preston was waiting.

“Wow that was so much fun,” stated Preston.

“Maybe for you,” said Wing as he brushed some trash from his school uniform.

“The chase was the best, I was so excited when I lost the police, I love doing that, my heart beats with excitement for hours afterward,” said Preston.

“It just scared me, I’m going to take a shower and then we can practice our martial arts, no more of that stuff for me for a while,” Wing said as he entered his home.

Wing and Preston had been taking and practicing martial arts since Wing was six years old. Both boys were very good at hand to hand fighting and practiced for several hours each day, which begged to ask where did they find the time to steal apples? Preston was a slacker and now was drawing Wing into the thrill of crime. Wing’s first experience was just as an observer but felt the rush of adrenalin as he escaped the police, a rush that would soon become addicting.

Wing and Preston finished working out and Wing went to do his homework from school. Wing was sitting at the kitchen table working when his father came home from work.

“Ah, young Wing, how is my son today?”

“Fine father, why do you ask?”

“Because you smell like a garbage dump, did you have an accident today?”

Good grief, I took a shower how can he still smell the trash?

“I fell on the way home from school and took a shower when I got home, I’m surprised you can still smell the trash.”

“Evil smells can linger for a long time, be careful next time,” his father said.

“Yes father.”

The next day found Preston and Wing up to no good once again. This time Preston brought Wing to a large department store and talked him into stealing for the very first time.

“Watch how I do it,” said Preston as he took a video game and stuffed it in his pants.

Wing watched and copied his friend’s moves and placed a yoyo in his pocket. The boys left the store without so much as a notice from the guard. Wing’s heart was racing as they walked away from the store. Wing’s adrenaline was flowing until they were blocks away.

Wing was shaking as he said, “I was so afraid we would be caught.”

“I knew we wouldn’t, it’s easy, it was fun wasn’t it?”

“Yes, but I don’t feel right taking other people’s things.”

“I felt that way at first but it’s so much fun that now it doesn’t bother me, I just enjoy the rush.”

“I don’t know if we should do this anymore?”

“Just a few more times and if you don’t like it we’ll stop,” said Preston knowing that Wing wouldn’t stop after he got over feeling guilty.

The stealing continued and one day they stole from the wrong person. Preston and Wing were in a shop that had a large variety of goods. Things of every description were crammed into every corner of the shop. What Preston and Wing didn’t know was that this was a fencing operation run by one of the many criminal gangs in Hong Kong. The boys had gotten very good at manipulating goods onto their person but this store was run by criminals, much better than them. As they stepped outside and began to walk down the street they felt a hand on their shoulder.

“Where do you thieves think you’re going?” asked one of the men that had followed them from the store.

“What are you talking about?” asked Preston.

“Were talking about the things in your pockets,” responded the man. This man wasn’t your typical shopkeeper. He was stocky and had a shaved head. He also had gang tattoos on his arms, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Preston.

“We’re sorry, it won’t happen again,” said Preston in his most humble voice.

“We didn’t mean anything, please let us go,” begged Wing.

“Let you go, hah, not a chance, you’ve stolen from us now you owe us something in return, come with us,” said the other man. The second man was very thin and had red eyes, probably from smoking too much opium. The men pulled the boys back into the shop and closed the door. They turned the open sign around to say that they were closed and pushed the boys into a back room. Thin man looked at Wing and without warning hit him in the stomach. Wing doubled over in pain as his air left his lungs leaving him gasping for breath. The stocky one did the same to Preston with the same results. The boys were placed on a bench and the thin man started to talk.

“Do you boys know who we are?”

“No sir.”

“This store belongs to the Fong Chow Family Association. By stealing from us you have created a debt and you must work your debt off until you are free of that debt. If you refuse we will kill you, is that understood?”

“Yes sir,” the boys responded, voices shaking.

“Good, tomorrow you will come to this store and we will have something for you to do. Don’t tell anyone of this meeting or you will disappear.”

“I have school,” said Wing in his most sorry voice.

“Go to school and then come here, is that understood?”

“Yes sir.”

“What are your names? Tell us the truth because we will find out if you are lying.”

“I’m Preston Teng.”

“I’m Wing Hop Wong,” answered Wing.

“See you tomorrow boys,” said the thin man in the most menacing way.

Preston and Wing left the shop with their stomachs hurting from the encounter.

“What have we done?” asked Wing.

“We robbed the wrong place, maybe after tomorrow they will let us go.”

“I hope so.”

The next day the boys showed up as instructed.

“I see you boys came back, pity, I would liked to have shot you but the boss has another use for you, “ said the thin man, “We want you to take these packages to these addresses and leave them. The person there will give you a package to bring back here and that’s all you have to do. Tomorrow you will do the same thing and for the next month you will do it everyday. When you are done with the months work we might let you go. Here, now hurry.”

The boys took the packages and ran to the address they were given. They then returned with a corresponding package and were sent home. Wing and Preston were always sent to different addresses from each other so they were never together when they made the delivery. Wing had pretty much figured out that he was running heroin and bringing back cash in return and knew better than to look in the packages and figured that once this was over he would be free. He made a pact with himself never to steal again. Preston on the other hand wasn’t as wise and decided to look in the packages. When he saw the cash he decided that if he were to take just a little bit it wouldn’t be missed.

“Here’s my package Willie,” said Preston as he returned from his run. All the men in the organization had nicknames and the thin man was Willie. Wing returned from his run and handed over his package. The boys left the shop and were walking down the street when they heard Willie yell at them.

“Stop you two,” he yelled.

“Run,” said Preston to Wing.

“Why?”

“Never mind why, just run.”

The boys ran down the street and turned into the first alley they came to. Preston figured they had a better chance to outrun Willie in the alley. The boys ran for several blocks but hadn’t gained any distance on their pursuers. Preston was several steps ahead and to the left of Wing when Wing heard the shot ring out and saw Preston crumble in front of him. Wing tripped over Preston and fell into a trashcan. When he looked up Willie put the gun in his face and said, “Get up and follow me, hurry.”

Wing followed Willie into a doorway that led into a seedy hotel. Where was Willie taking him, he wondered? His best friend had just been shot and could be dead for all he knew but Wing knew better than to run or he would also be killed. As they progressed down the hallway Wing saw several girls running to and from the rooms, mostly clad in bras and panties. He knew what kind of place this was, a whorehouse. Willie finally reached an office door and entered with Wing in tow.

Seated at a desk was a well-dressed man in his forties. He was well groomed, wearing a tailored suit and his hair was obviously done at a salon. His name was Winston Chang and he was one of the bosses of the association.

“Boss, this is Wing, he is one of the boys that makes our deliveries for us. The other is dead. I just shot him because he was stealing from us, what do you want me to do with this one?”

“Was he stealing from us?”

“No.”

“Well Wing at least you were smart enough not to do that. You and your friend would have been done working for us next week but because of his stupidity he is dead and now you will have to become one of us. You witnessed something that could make trouble for us, so now you have a choice to make, become one of us or die, which will it be?”

“I’ll become one of you,” Wing answered in a shaking voice.

“That’s a very smart move young Wing. Our identity is very important to us and we don’t like anyone to know who we are. We don’t ever like to use a person’s real name in our organization so and we need to give you another name, I think I’ll call you Tommy. From now on you are Tommy Wong. You will continue school because a smart criminal is much more useful than a dumb one and your responsibilities here will increase. You will never question what we ask of you and in turn you will be compensated for your labors. As we see fit you will have access to the girls in the hotel and be given cash as needed, welcome to our organization Tommy.”

Wing was escorted out of the hotel by Willie and set free. Wing wasn’t free so to speak, for Wing would never really be free again.

***

Mialing finished her break and wandered back to the tables for her last shift. She walked with such elegance that she couldn’t help but attract attention. As usual the guy’s heads turned as she past. Mialing was used to this behavior from the men so it no longer bothered her, it was just part of the job as far as she was concerned. She found her table and waited for customers to deal too.

Mark had seen her return and finished his hand at the table where he was playing. An attractive girl had wandered over to his table to play. She was attracted to Mark and had hoped to have some kind of interaction.

“How’s your luck?” she asked.

“I guess okay, I’m ahead five hundred, how about you?”

“I’m down about two, my name’s Melody, and yours?”

“Mark, do you play blackjack a lot?”

“I play all the games, but mostly roulette, because it’s easy.”

“Yeah I guess but it’s all luck, at least with this game you can try to influence your luck.”

“I wouldn’t know how to do that,” she answered, “Would you show me?”

“It takes a little time to learn.”

“I have plenty of time,” she answered with a, if you teach me you’re going to get lucky tonight smile.

That was when Mialing walked to her table and Mark knew he had to talk to her again.

“I’m sorry but I have to talk to that dealer, maybe tomorrow night,” Mark said with sadness, knowing he was passing up a sure piece of ass. Tonight the brain in his head had won out over the other one, which in his case was rare.

Mark got up and walked to Mialing’s table and placed his chips on the table. He moved one into the betting area.

“Back to try your luck again?” she asked with her melodious voice. Mialing’s voice was as pretty as she was, like honey in the wind.

“Yes, I decided you were good luck for me and thought I would try again.”

Mark was the only player and his first hand he lost. Other players seated themselves at the table and made it easier for Mark to count the cards. The only thing that made it difficult was Mialing’s beauty. Mark watched the girl as the evening continued. Not only were her eyes beautiful beyond belief, her skin had an incredibly soft glow to it. She had soft full lips accented by the red lipstick and gloss she wore and her nose was straight, probably from the European influence in her heritage. Her hair shown with the light that came down from the ceiling and when she turned it flowed from side to side in a soft flowing mass. Mark was becoming mesmerized by this girl and knew he had to ask her out.

It was around three-thirty in the morning and Mialing’s shift ended at four. Mark knew he had to make his move. During this whole time Mialing had been watching Mark too, and wondered how he could have known Tommy. He didn’t look threatening in fact he looked kind of plain, not like the usual high rollers she got at her table. He was wearing a polo shirt and Docker pants, a regular wristwatch, and not the Rollex’s she was used to seeing. They’re conversation during the night had been the regular dealer, player sort of interaction, a little flirty but nothing serious. The table had gotten quiet with just one other player left, an older gentleman who probably had too much to drink by this time. One of the perks playing at a table like this was the free drinks provided to the players, and the man had taken advantage of that. Mark knew that if he were to count, booze and cards don’t mix so he kept to the soft drinks, something that wasn’t lost on Mialing. One thing she hated was a drunk, and a man that knew he didn’t have to drink to have fun wasn’t lost on her.

“Mialing, when your shift is over would you have breakfast with me?” asked Mark.

“I don’t usually do anything with clients of the casino and I would normally say no but you have me intrigued as to how you knew Tommy. Okay I’ll go with you, my shift ends in a half of an hour, I’ll meet you by the front entrance.”

“That’s great, I’ll meet you there. I have to cash in my chips first, I’ll be waiting.”

Mialing ended her shift and joined Mark. They walked to another casino and ordered breakfast. Mark couldn’t believe his luck to be here with this girl, she was so beautiful.

“Have you lived in Vegas for very long Mialing?”

“For around four years, I used to live in Reno before coming here. I went to dealer’s school there and then worked at Harrah’s for two years. I came here because everyone said the tips were better and they were right, I’ve done much better here. What do you do, Mark?”

“I work here and there, you know pick up work as I need it, it just depends on my luck.”

“I was watching you, you’re a very good card player, I know you were counting but since you didn’t try to make too much money I let you keep playing and besides I have to know how you knew Tommy?”

“Yes, Tommy, if I tell you that then you will know what I really do for a living. How did you know Tommy?” asked Mark.

“I met him years ago in Hong Kong and we became very close. There wasn’t anything that I didn’t know about him. Please tell me how you knew him, if you don’t I’m going to leave.”

Mark knew that wasn’t an idle threat and he didn’t want to lose this girl, she had made a lasting impression on him and losing her was the last thing he wanted.

“Okay, you win, I’m an agent for the FBI and I met him, well actually I saw him for the first time almost nine years ago when he turned states witness against the Tongs and family associations in Vancouver and San Francisco.”

“You never met him?”

“No, I just watched him through the one way mirror during interrogation. I was a junior officer at the time and was observing how to interrogate prisoners. I was struck by how handsome he was and trust me, I’m not gay, but it was startling how good looking he was. The thing that I noticed most though were his eyes, I had never seen eyes like that before, and when I saw you, it was as though I was looking in his eyes all over again.”

“I’ve been told that before. When I was in Hong Kong people would say the same thing, maybe we were related in the past,” giggled Mialing.

Her laugh cut right through Mark, God how can she be so sexy without even trying Mark wondered.

Their breakfast arrived and Mark watched as Mialing ate.

“What are you looking at?” Mialing asked.

“You, you have the prettiest eyes I’ve ever seen.” answered Mark.

Mialing had heard this line a hundred times a month and it just bounced off of her but now she was feeling warm, she was becoming flushed, she was blushing like a fourteen year old girl. Mark noticed the effect he was having on her and liked that he was.

“Thank you,” Mialing said softly, blushing all the more.

God what’s wrong with me she wondered, guys never effect me like this. Mialing had grown accustom to men hitting on her, movie stars, high rollers and low rollers, it was all in a days work. She never dated any of them. Mialing tended to stay home and keep to herself. She would go out with some of the girls from work and dance or see a show but never with a man alone, for some reason it wasn’t her thing. There were times she wondered if she was a lesbian because she preferred the company of women over men but they didn’t excite her sexually so maybe it wasn’t that, and then she would wonder if she was asexual because men didn’t excite her either. Now however Mark was making her feel different, she was beginning to feel excitement toward another person and she was becoming afraid.

“Are you alright?” asked Mark.

“Yes, I’m fine, let’s eat.”

Mialing’s stomach was doing flip-flops and she could barely swallow her food. She gave up eating her breakfast and pushed her plate away.

Mialing had to get her mind off what she was thinking, that she liked Mark much more than she wanted too admit.

“Tell me what you remember about Tommy?” she asked.

‘I remember him being interrogated for days on end. The things he told us were things I thought only happened in books. The things he did were scary, the killing and drugs and the ties to Hong Kong were amazing.”

“Can you tell me what you remember him telling you?”

“No I can’t, that’s classified information.”

“What happened to him next?”

“We put him in the witness protection program to give him a new identity. He was in the program for almost three months back in Colorado when someone made an attempt on his life. Apparently someone from the criminal organization had infiltrated the FBI and knew every move he and the bureau were making. The day it happened we found some bullet holes in the wall of his room and that he had gone missing. To this day no one knows where he went or if he is still alive.”

“Did they catch the assassin?”

“Yes, he had been with the FBI for three years and was shot while trying to escape. We found evidence on him that proved he was the one that tried to kill Tommy.”

“I’m glad you got him.”

“Has Tommy ever contacted you since the attempt on his life?”

“The day after and he told me what had happened. He told me that he would have to disappear and that he could trust no one as to where he might be, not even me”

“What did he tell you about the affair?”

“It will take much too much time to tell the story, I’m sorry, maybe some other time. I really should be going.”

“May I see you again?”

“If you would like.”

“May I take you to dinner?”

“When?”

“I’m in Vegas for two weeks so anytime you would like.”

“I have Wednesday and Thursday off so any day would be fine with me.”

“Wednesday, around Eight?”

“That works for me, I live at 24587 East Las Vegas Blvd. My name is on the mailbox, Mialing Lee, ring and I’ll buzz you in.”

“I’ll see you Wednesday Mialing Lee, wear something nice. The best restaurant in Vegas isn’t good enough for the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”

Mialing felt it again she was becoming excited by this man and what was worse, she liked the feelings she was having.

Mialing arrived at home and couldn’t sleep. Why was this man having such an impression on me, she wondered. I’ve always been able to keep my feelings guarded, don’t get too close to a person, keep my distance, don’t get involved, but now this man, he excites me and I can’t wait until I see him again, I can’t get too close to him. I’ll go to dinner with him and tell him I can’t see him anymore, I don’t want to be hurt anymore.

***

Hurt, the feelings Tommy must have had when his best friend was killed. Hurt, when he had to hide the fact that he had seen his friend gunned down in front of him. Hurt, when he could do nothing about it. Hurt, when he attended the funeral for Preston and pretended he knew nothing about the killing. And the biggest hurt of all, becoming one of the gang that had killed his friend.

After that day Wing did his duty with the gang, becoming more like them. At first his duties were simple, deliver this drug to some address and bring back the money, dump this gun in the harbor and make sure nobody sees you when you do it, but as the months went by his chores became more intense. The gradual nature of the escalation of his duties helped to build a wall between him and his knowledge of right and wrong, so when he went on his first beating it no longer bothered him. Willie had decided it was time to step up Wing’s involvement in the association’s activities and brought him to make a collection on a bad debt.

Willie approached the man who owed the debt and asked for the money.

“I don’t have it, I will this afternoon,” responded the man.

“This afternoon will be too late,” said Willie.

“Please, just a few more hours?” asked the man, as the fear showed in his eyes.

“No, we want our money now.”

“But I don’t have it, please?” the man pleaded.

Willie hit the man in the stomach, which doubled him over and then struck him in the back of the neck making him fall to the ground.

Willie looked at Wing and said, “Kick him Tommy.”

“But he’s already down,” responded Wing.

“Teach him a lesson Tommy, do as your told,” said Willie, angrily.

Wing walked to the man and kicked him several times as he lay prone on the ground. Blood was running from the man’s nose and he was groaning in pain.

“Let this be a lesson to you, and if we don’t have our money by tomorrow we will kill you,” stated Willie as he and Tommy walked away.

Wing felt remorse for what he had done but as Tommy, he felt elated. He felt a strange kind of power he had never felt before, it was a rush being able to control a person and not having to worry about consequences, Tommy’s personality was winning over Wing’s.

Months became a year and Tommy became more casual about his role in the Tong. His final day of reckoning had arrived.

“Tommy, this man has been stealing from us and we want you to take care of it,” said Willie as he held a picture of a man for Tommy to see.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Kill him,” stated Willie as he handed Tommy a gun.

“I, I, I don’t know if I can,” said Tommy as the realization of what he was being asked to do hit him.

“You have no choice, we are as one. You are an arm on the body and you do as the brain asks you to do. If an arm is damaged you cut it off and discard it, do you understand?”

“Yes, I’ll do as I’m told.”

Tommy took the gun and left the hotel. He walked until he spotted the man in an alley nearby. Tommy quietly walked up behind the man and shot him in the back of the head. When the sound hit his ears time seemed to move as if in slow motion. Tommy watched as the man slowly crumbled to the street and watched as the last twitches of life left the man’s body and then watched as the man’s urine flowed from his pants onto the street. Blood trickled from his skull and bits of brain oozed from the hole in the front of his head. Tommy bolted from the alley and ran until he could run no more. He leaned over and vomited his guts out, he had killed another human being, he would never be the same again, the Tong owned him now and he could never back out of this kind of life again. When he returned to the Tong he was rewarded for killing the man by being given one of the girls in the hotel for the night.

Wing had never been with a girl before and it didn’t take long for her to seduce the boy. She knew all the right buttons to push with the lad and kept him aroused for most of the night.

“Oh Tommy, you so big,” the girl would say, and Tommy would cum.

“Oh Tommy, you so strong, you the best I ever have,” and Tommy would cum again.

“Tommy, one more time, please, I need you, yes, yes, that’s it, harder, push harder baby,” the whore would say and Tommy came for the last time that night. Tommy was on a high from the killing and then this, the sexual act, the proof that he was a man, Tommy felt like a king.

There would be other nights and with different girls in the brothel. They would look at his eyes and even as jaded as they were about sex they wanted the boy. Tommy learned about sex from the girls, and what a woman wanted from the sex act, and he learned the art of seduction, and the many of the other things he would use in Vancouver.

***

It was during this at time that Wing’s father was becoming worried about the eminent take over of the British colony. He decided to move his family to Vancouver, British Columbia. His business would be easy to move and why not, there was a large Chinese populace that lived there so arrangements were made and the move took place. It was best that Tommy left Hong Kong because of the killing and he would be a welcome addition to the Tong in Vancouver. Being trained in Hong Kong made Tommy a valuable addition in the new world and one that could report back to his bosses in Hong Kong, anything that might be amiss. If anything was found they knew they could count on Tommy to take care of the situation.

Wing entered high school and graduated a year later. During this time he had little to do with the Tong other than run errands and intimidate a few people. The main thing Tommy did for the Tong though was to seduce girls and turn them into prostitutes. He would date a girl and tell her how much he loved her and then when she would give it up he would make his move.

“God baby, that was so good,” he would say as he finished the love act. “Let’s do it again and I know a way to make it feel better.”

All the while he was talking to the girl, he was caressing her breasts and rubbing her pussy keeping her at a sexual high. He would place her hand on his erection making sure she would think of nothing but sex and the intense feelings she was having.

“Yes baby, anything, anything for you,” the girl would respond.

“Try this baby, it feels so good, trust me, there is nothing like it,” he would say as he continued to seduce them.

This was when Tommy made his move and injected them with heroin. The girls would grow sick and throw up but when they recovered Tommy would complete his seduction by bringing them to orgasm as he screwed them royally. This would be the last time he would do it with them because he didn’t like junkies. Tommy was able to recruit as many as ten girls before he moved to San Francisco.

Wing wanted to continue school in San Francisco and asked his father for permission to attend San Francisco State University. The Tong also thought it would be good for Tommy to attend school there. It would be a perfect diversion from his criminal activities in Vancouver. He could become an undercover thug for the family, an unsuspecting person to watch over the gang activities.

Wing entered school the following September and was enjoying his new freedom from home. His activities with the Tong were limited and he felt that he was leaving his criminal past behind. Because of the trust the gang had in Tommy he kept a significant amount of cash hidden in his studio apartment. He had cut out an access panel in the closet and kept the cash hidden there. Having the cash handy made it easy for him to make the deals he was asked to do occasionally.

Tommy was contacted by Winston Chang several months after moving to San Francisco, he was calling from Hong Kong.

“Hello Tommy, how are you enjoying school?” asked Winston.

“I like it a lot.”

“Good, good, I have a job for you to do for me, Tommy. There is a man in Chinatown that is trying to take over our businesses and I want you to take care of it for us. Go to the Tong in Waverly Place and you will get a gun from Jensen Louie. Take it to the address he gives you and take care of the problem for us.”

“I don’t think I can do that anymore. I don’t mind getting girls for us, but not killing, I can’t do it.”

“You did it once before and you must do it again, you must Tommy, you must do it this week.”

“I won’t do it.”

“You will do it or your family will be punished.”

“Please let me think about it,” Wing answered, with trepidation.

Wing’s sister Ginny was walking home from school with two of her friends when a van stopped next to the girls. Two men jumped out and grabbed Ginny and pulled her into the van and roared away. She was released, unhurt two hours later after being kidnapped by the five men and being told that Tommy had better do as asked or there would be worse things done to her.

Ginny’s family had no idea what or who the men were talking about. They called Wing and asked him if he knew of a Tommy or what it was they wanted.

“Wing, your sister was kidnapped by a gang and they said something about someone named Tommy, do you know what they are talking about?”

“Did you say Tommy?” asked Wing.

“Yes, who is he?” asked his father.

“Someone I met a long time ago, I’ll take care of this, don’t worry,” said Wing.

Tommy called Winston in Hong Kong.

“I’ll do as you ask,” said Tommy, “Please leave my family alone.”

“Good decision Tommy and consider what happened to your sister a warning as to what will happen next time you don’t do as you’re asked.”

“Yes Winston.”

Winston called Jensen Louie and he laid out the plan.

“Jensen, I explained to Tommy what would happen if he crossed us again, but I don’t like our members to disagree with me when asked to do a task. When Tommy finishes shooting Anthony Wong, kill him. It will look like retribution for Anthony’s death.”

“I have just the man, boss,” answered Jensen.

“Good, now get it done,” ordered Winston.

Winston called Johnny Chong into his office.

“Johnny, I have something for you to do. I want you to follow Tommy. When he kills Anthony and when he leaves the restaurant follow him and kill him. He’s become a liability to the family,” said Jensen.

“Okay boss, I’ll take care of it,” Johnny answered.

Tommy went to the Tong and got the gun and found the victim eating in a restaurant, walked in and shot him point blank in the face. He then turned and shot his bodyguards before running from the restaurant. As he was running he heard footsteps behind him but couldn’t look to see who it was. He ran up Washington Street and jumped on the front of a passing cable car and escaped. When he boarded the car he looked and saw a familiar looking figure board at the back of the car and recognized him to be Johnny Chong. Tommy knew Johnny was the person that did most of the hits for the Tong and wondered why he was following him and then he put two and two together, they wanted to eliminate him. Fear gripped his belly as the wheels of the cable car clacked up the Hyde Street line. Tommy flashed his fast pass card at the conductor so he could ride the car without paying cash. The conductor worked his way back to Johnny and when Johnny reached in his pocket for his faire Tommy jumped from the moving car and ran up Green Street. When Johnny looked up he saw that Tommy was gone from the side of the car. He immediately jumped off the car and ran back down Hyde to Green Street and saw Tommy running up the hill. Tommy had a hundred yard jump on Johnny and Tommy was a faster runner than Johnny would ever be so Johnny pulled his pistol and fired a round at Tommy. A shot at a moving target a hundred yards away with a pistol isn’t going to get the job done unless you are the luckiest shooter in the world. Tommy heard the bullet whiz by his ear and saw it graze off the concrete. He had done as asked and now they wanted to kill him. Tommy was angered by what had been done to his sister and now they were trying to kill him, he would get even with the Tong someway.

Tommy continued to run and finally lost Johnny in the maze of stairs that the hilly streets of San Francisco turn into.

Tommy still had the gun and decided that he would kill members of the Tong as retribution for kidnapping his sister and for his own self-preservation. His first target was Jensen Louie. He calmly walked into the Tong building and shot Jensen in the heart. What he didn’t know was that he had been seen doing this. Winston was notified of Tommy’s action against the association and a hit was put out against his family and against him. Tommy found out about the deaths of his father, mother, and sister from the news that night on television.

“Breaking news,” went the broadcast, “A Chinese family of three was slain today in Vancouver, British Columbia. It appeared to be a gang slaying as all parties were shot in the back of the head. There are no suspects in the shooting, live from Vancouver, Betsy Long.”

Tommy blinked, he knew they were talking about his family and he knew who was responsible for the tragedy and he also knew he was next. He went to the closet and grabbed the cash that was hidden there and put it in a fanny-pack, so he would have some cash while he was on the run. Tommy ran from his studio apartment into the street. He had to hide or die. He wouldn’t mind dieing right now because he knew he was responsible for his family’s deaths, but he wanted to get even first. Tommy had just rounded the corner when he saw a car speed up to his apartment building and two Chinese men jump out and run inside. Moments later they ran out and the car roared down the street. Tommy knew his days were numbered. He knew what he had to do if he was to survive.

***

Tommy found a phone book and looked under the listings for attorneys. He picked the first one he saw under the criminal listing. Tommy took his cell phone and was going to call the number, but decided against it, this phone might be tapped. He looked at the address in the book and saw that Robert Abram’s office was only three blocks away so he decided to walk.

Tommy found the office and entered.

“May I help you,” the receptionist asked.

“I need a lawyer,” responded Tommy.

“Have you been here before?”

“No.”

“I can probably schedule you for next week.”

“I have to see one now, my life depends on it.”

“Mr. Abrams is in trial right now, I can have one of the other attorneys see you.”

“I’ll take anyone,” said Tommy with urgency in his voice.

“I have two available, Mr. Lim or Mr. Jacks.”

“Mr. Jacks, I don’t even want Mr. Lim to see me.”

“I’ll call Mr. Jacks for you.”

Ron Jacks entered the reception area and greeted Tommy.

“Hello, I’m Ron Jacks, Melissa says that you need an attorney?”

“Yes, I’m Wing Hop Wong, some people call me Tommy.”

“What can I help you with Wing?”

“I want to turn state’s evidence against some very bad people. I want immunity and I want to go into the witness protection program.”

“This sounds serious, let’s go to my office.”

Ron led Tommy to his office to see what could be done. He had dealt with the FBI on several occasions and knew they didn’t protect just anyone, the person had to be at great risk.

“Okay Wing, tell me why you think you need protection?”

Ron was looking at Wing and wondered why a nicely dressed college student like this would need protection, maybe this was some kind of college prank.

“Before I tell you anything, I have to be sure you won’t tell anyone else, especially Mr. Lim.”

“Everything you tell me is privileged information and why wouldn’t you want me to share information with Mr. Lim, he’s one of our finest attorneys.”

“Because he’s Chinese, and right now I can’t trust anyone, especially a Chinese lawyer.”

“That doesn’t make sense, your Chinese.”

“After I tell you why I need you, you will understand.”

“Okay, let’s get started, do you mind if I record this?”

“I would rather you didn’t”

“Okay, I’ll just take notes then, now go ahead and tell me as much as you can.”

“I told you my name and how some people call me Tommy, well the way I got that name was from a criminal organization in Hong Kong. I’ve been a member for seven years. I’ve done many bad things for the organization, but I can give the FBI information that links the Tongs here with organized crime in Hong Kong. If they find out I’m here they will kill me. Mr. Lim might even be one of them, and that’s why I don’t want him to know about me. If I give the FBI the information, the Tongs will go to any length to kill me and that’s why I will need protection.”

“It sounds like you might have important information, but you are going to have to be more specific, I can’t go to them and say this kid has information and won’t talk until you protect him, it doesn’t work that way. What may seem important to you might mean nothing to them, so give me something to work with.”

“I started with the family association when I was fourteen and ran drugs for them. After that I started hurting people that didn’t pay what they owed to the family. I killed my first man when I was sixteen. My family moved to Vancouver and when I got there I was instructed to get girls and make them work for us as prostitutes. I moved to San Francisco to attend college and I did a few things for the Tong but nothing serious. I liked the freedom away from crime but my boss in Hong Kong had a different idea. Since I wasn’t known to any of the other Tongs in San Francisco or the police, they wanted me to kill a member of another Tong that was making trouble for us. I told my boss that I didn’t want to do this anymore so he taught me a lesson. He had my sister kidnapped as an example of what they could do if I refused. I went and got the gun from one of the Tong members and killed the man I was supposed to kill. I was angry for what they had done to my sister and found out that they also wanted to kill me, so I went back to the Tong and killed one of the members. The Vancouver Tong killed my family in retribution for what I had done and now they’re after me. The only way I can get back at them is to give all my information to the FBI, now do you understand why I need protection.”

What Wing had just told Ron Jacks shook him to the core. This innocent looking boy was an assassin and a cold hearted one at that.

“I’ll call the FBI right now.”

Ron called the FBI and made arraignments for Wing to see them. He told them they would need to protect the boy because he had information they would want. They told him to bring Wing right over. Ron drove his client from his office to the federal building and parked his car in the civic center garage. They walked the few blocks to the federal building. They looked at the department listings and found what they were looking for, the FBI.

Tommy and Ron past through the metal detectors and rode the elevator to the tenth floor and exited.

They walked into the suite and Ron asked, “Is there someone we can talk too?”

“About what?” The receptionist asked.

“Chinese gangs.”

“Just a minute, I’ll get someone for you.”

The woman called a number and a man appeared from a door to the side of the room.

“I’m agent Dixon, how may I help you?”

Agent Dixon looked at Tommy and thought he looked too much like a student. He must be one of those nuts that just wanted publicity, he can’t be a gang member.

“We have information for you about the Chinatown gangs.”

“And would you like us to have the news papers here when you give us that information?” asked Dixon in snide tone of voice.

“God no, I don’t want anyone to know I’m here, they’ll kill me when they find out, they already killed my family,” exclaimed Wing.

Agent Dixon looked at the boy and thought, this boy had to be delusional, he wasn’t the gang type.

“Where did they do this?”

“In Vancouver and they just tried to kill me, I need protection.”

“Come with me and I’ll check out your story.”

Agent Dixon led Tommy and Ron to an interrogation room and left them while he checked everything out.

“Hey Bob, I have some nut job in room three that say’s he has information on some Chinese gangs, what do you want to do with him?”

Bob was Bob Lew and he had been working with the gang task force in Chinatown for years and knew just about everything there was to know about the gangs.

“I’ll talk to him, he might know something, but I doubt it, but it doesn’t hurt to listen.”

Bob walked into the interrogation room and introduced himself.

“Hello, I’m Bob Lew,” he said as he extended his hand.

“I’m Wing Hop Wong, the gangs call me Tommy and this is my attorney Ron Jacks,” he answered as he shook Bob’s hand.

“Is this the boy you called about?” Bob asked Ron.

“Yes, and what he wants to tell you sounds credible.”

“Do you prefer Wing or Tommy?”

“You might as well call me Tommy because that’s who I am now.”

“You know Tommy, I work Chinatown all the time and have never seen you there before, what gang are you in?”

“Fong Chow.”

“Fong Chow? Did you know there was a murder at their building this morning?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry Bob, but I won’t allow you to question Tommy without providing immunity,” said Ron.

“Is the information really that important?”

“Yes, and I won’t allow him to be questioned without something in writing.”

“Alright, let me get something from legal and then we can proceed.”

Bob went down two floors to the attorney general’s office.

“I need some paper work providing immunity for some kid upstairs. I doubt he has much to say so giving it to him won’t amount to a hill off beans. He’s just some college student that thinks he has some important information about Chinatown. I’ve never seen him before so I think were safe as far as any prosecution is concerned.”

The attorney drew up the papers and had them delivered to Bob.

Bob returned to the interrogation room and handed the papers to Ron.

“Everything seems to be in order,” said Ron after he had read the papers, “What about the witness protection?”

“If what he tells me is true, we’ll want him to testify to a Grand Jury and we will have to protect him. I don’t want to sound too negative but I seriously doubt he will be able to tell us anything we don’t already know. Now Tommy, you said that you knew about the killing at Fong Chow, what can you tell me about it?”

“I’m the one that shot Jensen Louie.”

“You shot Jensen, we thought it was retribution for Anthony Wong’s killing.”

“No, I shot Anthony too.”

“You shot Anthony, why would you shoot Jensen too?”

“To get back at the Tong.”

“What did they do to you?”

“It’s not what they did to me, they kidnapped my sister as punishment for questioning an order and then tried to kill me.”

“Who gave the order?”

“Winston Chang.”

“Who’s Winston Chang?”

“He’s one of the bosses of the Family Organization and Fong Chow gang.”

“I’ve never heard of him.”

“That’s because he lives in Hong Kong and never comes to America. He does everything by phone.”

“I can see this is going to take quite a while to finish. Its almost quitting time so we’re going to put you up in a safe house for tonight, don’t worry Tommy, you’ll be protected. You were smart to ask for immunity, Tommy, or you would be facing murder charges right now, even though the men you killed were scum, they were human beings.”

Bob called for several agents to take Tommy to the safe house and instructed them to be aware, Tommy was a sure target from the Tongs.

The safe house, if one were to call it that, was really a hotel room with no access to it other than the door, which made it easy to guard. Tommy removed his fanny-pack and clothes, washed his face and went to bed. He tried to sleep but the events of the day prohibited that, so he tossed and turned all night. He was also worried that the men guarding him might kill him, Tommy trusted no one.

Tommy was returned to the Federal Building the next morning and brought to a larger interrogation room. This room had a one-way mirror and a camera to record the interrogation session. Bob Lew had checked Tommy’s story and found that what he had told him was true, Tommy had indeed told the truth and was a very evil person. Because of this Bob had called several agents to watch the interrogation of Tommy and to learn that you can’t judge a book by its cover, so to speak. To look at Tommy, you would expect him to be a handsome, well-dressed college student, but in reality he was a cold-blooded killer. The men observing the meeting were, Stan Wilson, Martin West, and Mark Conrad.

“So this is the big time gangster,” said Stan, “You wouldn’t know it by looking at him.”

“They said that he killed those two guys in Chinatown, he must be one mean son of a bitch, both of them were gangsters,” responded Martin. “I’ve questioned dozens of guys for murder and most at least looked the part, but this guy is too handsome, there’s something weird here.”

Stan had been with the FBI for eleven years and was working his way into the crime task force and wanted to see how easy it was to deceive people by ones looks. Martin was the mentor of the group, having been an agent for thirty years and was only five years from retirement. He could have retired already except the lure of excitement kept him on the job. Mark was what would be termed as a newby, a rookie, and because of his boyish looks one that could infiltrate high schools to study drug trafficking.

“Mark, I want you to watch this carefully and learn what to watch for when you meet someone you have suspicions about. There will always be something to tip them off to you, is there anything different that you can see about this boy?”

“No, not really.”

“You know what the kids look like that go to state don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“What’s different about this boy?”

“The way he’s dressed?”

“That’s right, he’s too clean looking, almost like a model, student’s don’t dress like that, he’s too perfect, oh here’s Bob.”

Bob entered the interrogation room and greeted Tommy.

“Good Morning Tommy, I trust you slept well?” asked Bob.

“No, not really, it’s very difficult to sleep when you know you’re being hunted.”

“Well hopefully we’ll be able to take care of that for you, now let’s get started. I’m sure you noticed the mirror, there are some men behind it that will be watching us while I question you and we are recording everything we will be talking about and by law I have to inform you of that, do you understand what I just told you?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s get started then, I think I’ll work backward from when you came to us, make the clock run backward so to speak. You came to us because you were being hunted?”

“Yes.”

“By whom?”

“By the Fong Chow Tong.”

“And you were a member of that group?”

“Yes.”

“What were your duties?”

“What ever they asked me to do.”

“What was the last thing they asked of you?”

“To kill a rival Tong member.”

“And did you do that?”

“Yes, in a restaurant on Washington Street. I shot his bodyguards too. I don’t know if they died, I just wanted to get away.”

“You’re lucky, no they didn’t die. They’re wounds were pretty bad but they will survive. Why did you kill him?”

“I had too, if I didn’t the Tong would have killed my family.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because when I refused the first time they kidnapped my sister and told me if I refused worse things would happen to her.”

“I don’t recall hearing anything about that around here, where did that happen?”

“In Vancouver.”

“In Vancouver, are you telling me that they have the same gang in Vancouver?”

“The gang is all over, here, Vancouver, New York, Hong Kong, anywhere there are Chinese people.

“And you know this for a fact?”

“Yes, I was a member for seven years.”

“How do know there is a connection between these Tongs?”

“From conversations and knowing the people in charge.”

“Who’s in charge?”

“The only man I ever met was Winston Chang. I met him when I lived in Hong Kong and he gave me orders when I came here. The leaders of the Tongs in the other cities answered to him, he has great power. I know there are other leaders but I never met them, but they all live in Hong Kong. I think the way it works is that Winston runs the Tongs here and the other leaders run the ones in Europe and in Asia, kind of like a committee.”

“How many times did you see Winston Chang?”

“Only once, when they killed my best friend.”

“Where did that happen?”

“In Hong Kong.”

“Let’s get back to what you did here. Why did you kill Jensen Louie?”

“To get back at the Tong for kidnapping my sister. I was angry so I shot Jensen in anger. I shouldn’t have done that because they killed my family in retribution for what I had done and were going to kill me too if I hadn’t come here. It sent a lesson to all the members that you didn’t cross them or more than just you were in trouble.”

“How did you know there was a connection between here and let’s say New York?”

“Because when I was living in Vancouver, I was in the office of Larry Leong. He is the head of the Vancouver Tong. He was talking to me when his phone rang. He answered it and referred to the other person as Carlton. I already knew Carlton was the head of the New York Tong and Larry told him that Winston had called and was very angry because Carlton had expanded his operation into Brooklyn. He said that could bring the police to us and he didn’t want that or a gang war with the black gangs and to just stay to ourselves.”

“Then what happened?”

“Larry became heated with the conversation, apparently Carlton didn’t want to listen to Larry because they were equals in the organization so he told Carlton he would have to deal with Winston regarding the matter. Larry slammed the phone down and swore, he was really pissed off. “Winston told me to relay the message to Carlton and he doesn’t want to listen, I’ll bet Winston replaces him after this,” he said. After that Larry was pretty open with me and we built a trust with each other. Most times he would have me leave his office when Winston called but after that he let me stay in the room during his conversations. One time Winston called and told Larry to have a certain individual killed as a lesson to other members of the Tong and it was done.”

“Tell us more about what you did in San Francisco.”

“I really didn’t do much here other than distribute drugs and attend school. It wasn’t until I was ordered to kill Anthony that I became more visible and that Winston started to call me directly.”

“How did you feel about that?”

“I didn’t like it because I was able to lie low and not be too involved in the daily operation of the gang. When Winston called me and asked me to shoot Anthony, I knew that meant that I was going to have to be more active in the Tong and I didn’t want that, I wanted out of this kind of life.”

“Tell us what you did in Vancouver?”

“I would run drugs and seduce girls into prostitution.”

“How did you do that?”

“I would take them to bed and after getting them ready to orgasm I would inject them with heroin and then would get them off. The high from the drugs and sex made it easy. They were hooked on the heroin and had to work for us to get high, it was simple.”

“Where did you get the drugs?”

“From the family. Winston had the girls in Hong Kong teach me how to do what I did and when I came to Vancouver that’s what I did.”

“Did you kill anyone in Vancouver?”

“No. Just in Hong Kong and San Francisco.”

“So let me get this straight, Winston called all the shots and directed his people in the various cities to comply?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Who controlled Winston?”

“I don’t know but I think it might have been someone in the government.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because the family association was never busted for anything. It was obvious that we were behind many of the dealings and yet nothing ever happened to us.”

“What government?”

“I have no idea, it’s just a feeling I had.”

“Can you connect the dots better than you have already?”

“Give me a piece of paper and I’ll make a tree of the organization as I know it, you know with Winston at the top and then go down as responsibility does.”

Bob Lew handed Tommy a piece of graph paper and watched as Tommy drew lines and entered names at intersections. When he had finished there were over a hundred names on the paper.

“This is pretty impressive Tommy, are you sure these are all members of the Tong?”

“As many as I could remember.”

“Most of the names are from Hong Kong and Vancouver, but there are still at least twenty-five from here. I’m going to forward this information to the Canadian Mounted Police and the authorities in Hong Kong, I’m impressed Tommy.”

“Thank you, now do I get a new identity?” asked Tommy.

“You bet you do, we need to talk some more tomorrow and then we will bring you back to Colorado and give you a new life.”

Tommy returned the following day and corroborated his testimony and then was on a private plane to his new life

***

Mialing worked her Tuesday shift and kept thinking about her date with Mark. Why am I doing this, I should never have accepted the invitation I’m so stupid, but he makes me feel good, oh I’m so frustrated.

Wednesday found Mialing at the mall trying to find a dress. It has to be perfect she thought. Mialing tried on ten different dresses until she found the one she wanted. It was a little black dress except the back was cut below her waist and was held together with four strings that went across the back so the dress would hold its shape. The front was cut low enough to allow her cleavage to show to the bottom of her breasts. The hem stopped three inches above her knees. Mialing then found black sandals with four-inch heels to go with the dress. After that she had her nails done in her favorite color, red. While at the salon she had her hair trimmed of split ends, and then it was washed and dried.

Mialing then went home to bathe and dress for her date with Mark.

Mialing drew her bath, adding bubble solution to the water. She disrobed, wrapped her hair in a towel and stepped into the bubbly liquid. She took the sponge in her hand and rubbed it over her body. Mialing had learned years ago that a soft sponge was the best way to clean ones body with out being harsh to the skin. As the soft sponge moved over her breasts her nipples became hard and as she rubbed them she became aroused. Her mind drifted to Mark and his cute smile, his funny personality and his puppy dog eyes when he watched her. She barely knew this man and yet he was having an impact on her, she didn’t want to become involved, she wanted no strings of attachment and yet he was awakening new feelings in her and she was confused, she didn’t know how she should react to what was happening to her. The more she thought of Mark and the more she rubbed her breasts, the more inflamed she was becoming until she shuttered with the orgasm that coursed through her body. Mialing sighed as she gathered her thoughts. She reached for her razor and daintily shaved her legs and underarms and then she exited the tub. She felt alive after her bath and the sexual relief that had occurred in the tub. When she had pleasured herself in the past she would normally just think of the intense feelings that were occurring, but this time she had fantasized about a man while she did it, was she having feelings for this man?

Mialing finished drying off and sat at her table to apply her makeup. When Mialing worked at the casino she wore minimal makeup, a little eyeliner, some mascara, and lipstick but tonight she wanted to make an impression so she went all out. She had beautiful eyes to start with but when she was done putting on three different shadows, lining her eyes and three layers of mascara, they shown like jewels. Lastly she lined her lips, added lipstick and then gloss to make them shine, and finally a little blush on her cheeks. If this doesn’t impress Mark, nothing will, Mialing giggled to herself.

Mialimg rolled the sheer nude panty hose carefully up her smooth shapely legs and then lowered her dress down over her head. She cupped her breasts into the supports that were sewn into the dress and pulled the satin fabric so it wouldn’t wrinkle. Last came her sandals, which she slipped her feet into and buckled the ankle strap, being careful not to chip a nail. Mialing rose and looked at her reflection in the mirror and pulled the fabric tight over her breasts. The dress was spectacular, starting three inches above her knees and tightly following her curves up to her breasts where it opened and followed the curve of her breasts and then over her shoulders and down her back to just below her waist. The only thing that held it together were four dainty black straps that went across her lightly tanned back. She brushed her hair until it the light reflected off of it and let it fall softly to her waist allowing just the barest amount of skin to show below it. Mialing was perched on four-inch heels and looked like the goddess she was. She turned and found a lacy black wrap to put over her shoulders when it was time to leave with Mark.

It wasn’t long before her intercom buzzed and it was Mark so she buzzed him in.

Mark knocked on her door when he reached her apartment, He could hear her heels clicking on the Pergo flooring as she walked to open the door.

Mialing opened the door and said, “Hi.”

Mark was standing with a dozen long stem roses in his hand and opened his mouth to greet her back but nothing came out, Mark was speechless. Never in his life had he seen anything as beautiful as the vision that greeted him at the door.

“Cat got your tongue?” giggled Mialing.

“Uhh, uhh, no, hi, I brought these for you,” stammered Mark as he handed the roses to Mialing.

“Oh, they’re beautiful, thank you, come in, let me put them in a vase and then we can go.”

“My God Mialing, you look beautiful.”

“Thank you, you look pretty good yourself.”

“Mark was wearing a dark gray Armani suit. It was obvious that he had is hair cut earlier in the day and was trying to impress Mialing and he was doing a pretty good job of it. Mialing found a vase, filled it with water, trimmed the roses and placed them in the vase. She carried them out and placed the vase on her coffee table.

“These roses are beautiful, you shouldn’t have bought them,” said Mialing.

“Its the least I could do for a woman as pretty as you.”

Mialing grabbed her wrap and said, “Ready?”

“If you are, let’s go.”

Mialing locked her door and the couple walked to the limo Mark had rented for the evening. The driver opened the rear door of the Lincoln Town Car for them to enter. Mark held Mialing’s hand to help her in. She lowered herself onto the seat and swung her legs into the vehicle. God what beautiful legs Mark thought as watched her move them into the car. Mark walked to the other side of the car and entered. The driver then drove them to the restaurant.

Mark escorted Mialing into the restaurant where they were seated by the host. The host held Mialing’s chair for her and then opened her napkin and put it on her lap.

“Your waiter will be right with you,” he said as he turned and walked away.

“May I get you something to drink?” asked the waiter when he approached the table.

“Mialing, would you like something?” asked Mark.

“Just a glass of water, please,” she responded. Mialing had never acquired a taste for alcohol and pretty much just drank water.

“I’d like an iced tea,” responded Mark. No sense drinking alcohol if my date isn’t, the smell can be a real turn off for the other person and Mark didn’t want to make any mistakes with his date.

The waiter presented the menu and left to get the drinks.

“What would you like,” asked Mark?

“Mmm, it all looks so good, I think I’ll have the seared ahi tuna.”

The waiter returned and placed the drinks in front of Mialing and Mark.

“May I take your orders?” he asked.

“The lady will have the tuna and I’d like the rib steak, rare please.”

“Very good sir, would you like an appetizer to start?”

“Mialing would you like something?”

“Would you share the hearts of palm with me?”

“Sure, we would like the hearts of palm and two plates please.”

“Thank you sir.”

Mialing liked the way Mark was treating her, with respect and wanted to know more about this man.

“So, Mark, were you raised around here?”

“No, I was born and raised in San Francisco. My father was a cop and I kind of followed him into the field except I think I watched too many movies and wanted excitement so I joined the FBI.”

“And did you find your excitement there?”

“At times, especially when I go undercover, but most of the time it’s just a lot of paperwork and sitting around.”

“Don’t you worry that you might get hurt?” Mialing asked.

“No, you really don’t think about it, I guess if I did I wouldn’t do it.”

“Undercover seems awfully dangerous.”

“It can be, but what about you, don’t you get bored dealing all the time?”

“You get used to it, it can be fun and you do meet interesting people, see I met you,” flirted Mialing as she giggled.

“Tell me more about you, where were you raised?”

“In Hong Kong, I went to an all girl’s Catholic school. My parents sent me there to learn English and that’s why I have a slight British accent.”

“I think it’s lovely, what else did you do?”

“I was on the basketball team. I thought I was tall, but there were three girls taller than me on the team. One girl was over six feet tall, she was English and when we played I envied her so, but when I finished school I was glad I didn’t grow anymore than I did, even now I feel tall for a girl.”

“You’re not that tall.” Mark exclaimed.

“A girl my height in the orient is tall, I can’t wear heels when I’m with most of the men because they aren’t much taller than me.”

“I guess it’s a good thing you moved here then, with American men you can keep the shoe stores in business,” laughed Mark.

“Silly,” giggled Mialing.

The waiter brought them their hearts of palm and split the order onto their plates and left.

“Mmm, this tastes good,” said Mialing.

“It tastes very similar to artichokes,” answered Mark.

“Did you like playing basketball?” asked Mark.

“I loved it and being part of a team was special, did you play sports in school?” asked Mialing.

“I ran cross country in the fall and played baseball in the spring. I was the second baseman for good old Lincoln High School.”

“Were you good?”

“Of course, at least my parents thought I was but if I was really good I would have played professionally but the scouts came to see two player on our team and I wasn’t one of them. I think parents think their children are better than they really are. What about you, were you good?”

“I could shoot pretty well and our team won the championship but no I really wasn’t that good. Maybe for Hong Kong but if I had gone to school here, I would have been on the second team.”

The waiter cleared their plates and brought the main course and served the couple.

“Oh this is so good, would you like a taste?” asked Mialing

“Sure.”

“Mialing cut a piece of tuna and fed it into Mark’s mouth with her fork. Mialing had never done anything as intimate as this with a man before, sharing her food and feeding it to him, she was acting like a woman in love and it scared her.

Mark had noticed her hand tremble slightly when she placed the tuna in his mouth and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Yes I’m fine, that was the first time I ever did that and for some reason it frightened me. Going to an all girl’s school insulated me from boys and I’ve never felt comfortable dating until now, so you’ll have to excuse me if I seem a bit off.”

Mialing had just shared a most intimate part of her life with Mark and it made an impression, this girl was like a flower in spring, a lovely bud just beginning to open, a flower that needed nurturing and loving care.

“Haven’t you dated before? You’re so beautiful you must be asked out all the time.”

“Yes, men do ask me out but I have never been sure enough of myself to date. I might join them for a casual dinner but that was all, I was always afraid.”

“I hope I don’t scare you?”

Mialing reached across the table and took Mark’s hand in hers and said, “No, I feel safe with you.” She let her hand linger a moment longer before releasing his.

Mark wasn’t sure of what he should say. Her hand was so pretty as it lay on his, the light from the candle dancing on her nails was making him feel light headed.

“I would never do anything to hurt you, Mialing,” he said, even her name was magical. Mark was losing himself in the girl’s beauty and innocence.

Mialing watched Mark’s face studying his every expression. As he spoke she saw kindness and a boyish quality and yet he had an air of confidence that made her feel sure of herself. When she spoke his face showed something else, it shined as though it was capturing the light of the sun and hanging on every word she said and when she laughed, it was as though he melted, Mark was a very special man.

The dinner was becoming very intimate and both Mark and Mialing were falling into its trap. It was as though the rest of the universe didn’t exist for them anymore, they were becoming as one. As they ate the conversation just drifted away until they just watched each other feeling the thoughts that radiated across the table, Mark and Mialing were falling in love.

The waiter interrupted their thoughts when he asked, “Are you finished?”

“Yes, would you like dessert, Mialing?”

“Of course, girls always like dessert,” she said.

The waiter brought the dessert menu and cleared the dishes.

“The cheesecake sounds good, I think I’ll have that,” said Mialing.

Mialing finished her cheesecake after sharing half with Mark.

“I have to freshen up, I’ll be right back,” she said.

Mark came around the table and moved her chair for her as she rose. Mialing went to the ladies room and checked her makeup for any damage. After repairing her lipstick she returned to the table. Mark had just finished paying the bill.

“Would you like to go dancing?” he asked.

“I’d love to,” she answered.

Mark escorted Mialing to the limo and they drove to a casino that was known for having the best dance floor in Vegas.

The couple entered and found a table and then ordered drinks before they began to dance. Mialing was a very good dancer, learning from her girl friends and then honing her skills when she went out on the all girls nights. Mark was passable, he definitely wasn’t Fred Astare but most men aren’t. The couple danced and danced with all the dances being fast. Mark was starting to wonder if they ever had slow dances here when his prayers were answered. He gathered Mialing into his arms and began to dance. His right hand was behind her back and his left held her right hand in his. With his right hand he felt the softness of her hair as it fell on her back and as the dance progressed her smooth skin beneath it. His hand slowly caressed Mialing’s back as they moved to the music. Mialing felt Mark’s hand on her back and as it moved she felt the need to lay her head on his shoulder. She felt his hand caressing her skin and she became aware of the subtle movement of his body against hers, more specifically her breasts, she was becoming aroused. Then she felt something else against her, his penis, it was growing hard against her hip. She had never felt anything like this before, her life had been sheltered and yet she liked what was happening to her. She was falling in love with Mark and as a woman liked knowing he wanted her. He didn’t have to say anything to her, his body was saying all that needed to be said. The dance ended and the couple returned to their table for some refreshment. After resting they danced for several more hours and decided to call it an evening.

The limo drove Mialing and Mark to Mialing’s apartment and Mark walked Mialing to her door.

“Mark, I had a wonderful evening tonight, thank you,” Mialing said, as she faced Mark.

“I did too, may I see you again?”

“Oh yes, anytime.”

If Mark hadn’t asked Mialing probably would have slapped him.

“Would tomorrow be too soon?”

“Tomorrow, what do you have in mind?”

“Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon?”

“No, I haven’t,” she answered. Mialing never really ventured out of Vegas and hadn’t even been to Hoover Dam let alone the Grand Canyon.

“Would you like to go?”

“I’d love to, what time will you pick me up?”

“I have to rent a car before I can get you, how about eight o’clock?”

“Okay, what should I bring?”

“Wear something comfortable and bring a change for dinner. If the day grows too long we might have to get a room to sleep so that would be up to you. If you want we can get two rooms, I want you to have fun and not worry about me doing something to you.”

Mark was addressing her fears, she liked that, it showed he had class. Mark knew she would worry about him if they were to sleep in the same room and knowing that she was a virgin made him that much more aware of the situation.

“I’ll be ready,” she answered.

Silence followed, the couple looked into each other’s eyes, Mark wanting to kiss the girl of his dreams and Mialing wanting to be kissed for what would be her first romantic kiss. Indecision wracked Mark’s brain, what should I do, maybe she doesn’t want me too, God I want to so badly, no I’ll scare her, do it, better not, what should I do?

Mialing watched and could tell what was going on in Mark’s head and finally she moved closer to his face.

Mark understood the signal Mialing was giving him and lowered his lips to hers. When they touched it felt like all that was good past between them. Mark felt the softness of her lips as they pressed together taking his breath away. Never in his life had a woman made him feel this way, he would do anything to have her forever.

Mialing felt Mark’s lips pressing against hers and the roughness of his face. It felt so manly and strong, she felt protected in his arms. She felt safe. She never wanted the kiss to end as she held him tight.

The kiss finally ended after several minutes but the romance didn’t. Mialing was in love and for the first time in her life felt comfortable with a man. She entered her apartment and watched Mark until he drove away in the limo. She then removed her clothing and went to bed after removing her makeup.

Her dreams that night were ones of love. She and Mark were married and lived in a little white cottage with a picket fence all around. They did nothing but kiss and hug all day long until it was time for bed and then Mark swooped her up in his arms and carried her to bed. “I love you more than life it self,” he said and then laid her on the bed. He slowly removed her clothes and climbed above her and lowered himself until, “Briiiiiing,” the alarm went off.

It was already six AM and Mark would be here in two hours and she still had to pack.

Mialing took a quick shower and washed her hair. She hated it after she had been out and her hair smelled of cigarette smoke. When she finished it smelled like flowers once again. What to wear, he said casual, I know, shorts and a tube top. Mialing dressed and then packed a nice skirt and blouse for dinner, a change of clothes for tomorrow, just in case, and closed her overnight bag. It wasn’t a moment too soon as Mark rang her buzzer.

“Wow you look great,” Mark said as Mialing opened the door, “ Are you ready to go?”

“Let me grab my bag and lock the door.”

Mark took Mialing’s bag from her and carried it to the car. He opened her door for her and watched as she slid in. It was already getting warm and he watched her legs glisten in the sun. She was wearing short white shorts, a tan tube top and four-inch wedge sandals.

“I hope you have some other shoes to wear, we might be walking a lot at the canyon?” he asked.

“I have some in my bag,” Mialing answered. She had decided to wear these shoes because she knew they made her legs look good and she wanted to impress Mark.

“Would you like to stop for something on the way?” asked Mark.

“God yes, I’m never up this early.”

“Let’s stop at Starbuck’s, I need the caffeine,” laughed Mark.

The couple stopped for coffee at Starbuck’s, and soon were on their way. Thirty minutes later they had stopped at Hoover Dam and decided to take the short tour of the dam. As they walked Mark put his arm around Mialing’s shoulders. Her skin felt soft and smooth as he held her. Mialing liked having Mark’s arm where it was, it reminded her of some of the romantic movies she had seen. She leaned into him and looked up at him. Mark lowered his lips to hers and kissed her softly. Mialing felt a thrill run through her body when he did, so this is what love is like, now she knew. The tour took an hour to complete and when it was finished the couple continued on the way to Grand Canyon.

Mark had decided to go to the south rim and the drive took many hours. They stopped in Williams and had a late lunch and then drove the rest of the way to their destination.

The couple arrived and Mialing was overwhelmed by the immensity of the canyon.

“I’ve never seen anything so large, it’s beautiful,” she exclaimed.

“Yes it is, let’s stop and buy some souvenirs,” Mark said.

Mark parked the car and the couple walked to the store with Mark’s arm back around Mialing’s shoulders. It wasn’t long before their lips were touching again. Love is a wonderful thing in its infancy.

“Let’s get this,” Mialing said as she held up a figurine of two babies kissing and inscribed with the Grand Canyon logo.

“You can have anything you want, sweetheart.”

The term of endearment wasn’t lost on Mialing as her heart warmed and she smiled.

They were soon off to the first observation point and parked the car to take photos.

“Stand next to the rail and smile,” said Mark as he snapped Mialing’s picture.

“Now you,” she said as they switched positions.

Mark being the guy he was stepped over the railing and pretended to fall. He had observed a ledge just below the edge and knew he was in no danger falling too far.

Mialing screamed, “Mark,” and ran to where he was. Mark popped his head up laughing with glee, he had fooled his girl friend.

“You brat, you scared the life out of me, that wasn’t funny,” Mialing said as tears formed in her eyes.

Mark realized that his joke wasn’t funny to Mialing, how stupid he thought, that was a guy thing, not something you do to someone who cares about you. Mark climbed up and went to her and held her in his arms.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t think it would bother you like this.”

“It did, I care for you Mark, please don’t do something like that again okay?”

She has feelings for me, oh God, oh God, don’t blow it now, treat her like the porcelain doll she is. Mialing wiped her eyes and pushed herself away from Mark and started to walk back to the car. She was upset, not so much at Mark but at herself. She had just admitted to him that she liked him more than just as a friend. She was angry with herself for lowering her guard and letting this man into her heart, she was in a state of confusion.

Mark ran after her and touched her shoulder and asked, “Mialing, what’s wrong?”

Mialing turned around, her eyes full of tears again and responded. “Oh Mark, I didn’t want this to happen, please hold me.”

Mark took Mialing into his arms and felt her sobbing. What have I done to this girl, it was just a joke and now, if I’ve ruined it with her I’ll never forgive myself.

Mialing stopped crying and held Mark tight, she felt so foolish for being this way. She pulled her head back from his chest and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. She kissed him in a way she had never done before and Mark was responding. Her lips parted and Mark pushed his tongue into her mouth and caressed her tongue with his. Mialing was becoming inflamed. Her nipples were growing hard and she was feeling something new to her, lust, she wanted this caring man. The kiss lasted for minutes and finally the couple broke for air.

“Mark, this isn’t easy for me, I’ve tried to be a private person all my life. The last thing I wanted with my life was to share it with someone but now I’ve met you and I don’t know what I should feel, you’ve made me see something new in my life and I discovered that something was missing and when you played that joke on me, I thought I had lost what I had just found, I think I love you Mark and I don’t want to lose you.”

“Mialing, I love you too, I’ll never do anything so stupid again.”

The couple touched lips again but in a show of love rather than lust. They parted their lips and continued their travel along the canyon.

It was dark by the time they reached Flagstaff. Mark found a nice motel and asked if Mialing wanted a separate room.

“I trust you, just ask for separate beds,” she answered.

Mark registered and they went to the room. The room had two queen sized beds and the usual TV and dresser.

“I’m going to take a shower, I feel like I’m covered with dirt,” said Mialing as she walked to the bathroom.

“Okay, I’ll take mine after you’re done,” responded Mark.

Mialing entered the bathroom and closed the door. She turned on the water and removed her clothes. She looked in the mirror and giggled when she saw the tan line from her tube top. She adjusted the temperature and stepped into the shower. The water felt good as it cascaded over her body. Mialing took the complimentary shampoo and washed her hair, it felt good to be clean again. Mialing soaped her body and reflected on all that had happened that day. She had found love and she had discovered lust. She thought about her first tongue kiss and felt her nipples harden and reveled in the pleasure of her touch as she washed herself. Mialing lost herself remembering the intense feelings she had when Mark’s tongue rubbed against hers and how it made her want something else, she had wanted Mark to make love to her. The only thing holding her back was the great amount of insecurity she had about relationships but now Mialing was on fire as she finished her shower. She dried herself and wrapped her towel around her breasts and exited the bathroom. Mark looked up and saw the incredible beauty that had just exited the bathroom. All she was wearing was the towel that extended to just above mid-thigh. Mark looked at Mialing and saw that her lips were parted and she was trembling.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked. He was afraid she might be having second thoughts about him again and if she wanted a separate room that was fine, he loved her and didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.

Mialing looked at Mark, let her towel fall from her body and said, “Take me.”

Mark went to her and took her in his arm. He pressed his mouth against her and kissed her deeply. He broke the kiss and began kissing her neck and finally her breasts. He licked her nipples and felt her tremble again. Mialing had never had feelings as intense as this before and didn’t know how to control her body, but all she knew was that she wanted Mark inside of her.

When she trembled Mark said, “ We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” interpreting her lust for fear.

“Please Mark, I’ve never wanted anything as badly as I want you right now,” she responded.

Mark had removed all but his boxers in anticipation of his shower so removing his shorts took all of two seconds. Mark lifted Mialing onto the bed and continued kissing and caressing her. He moved to the top of her as she spread her legs in anticipation of entry. Mark took his erection in his hand and found the entrance to her vagina. He knew he had to be gentle with her as this was her first time. He pushed the head slowly into her and heard her gasp but then felt her hips lift to meet his assault. Mark continued pushing until he was all the way in to the woman of his dreams.

Mialing felt so helpless as Mark lifted her onto the bed. When he laid her on her back and kissed her, she instinctively knew what to do and opened her legs for him. She thought it would hurt when he entered her but only pleasure found its way to her soul. When he stopped she wanted him to continue and had lifted herself to accept him and when he finally pushed all the way in she knew she had made the right choice with this man and she would love him forever.

Mark was gentle with Mialing, pulling out and pushing back in slowly so as to give her the most pleasure and soon climaxed within her. Mialing felt Mark cum as he left his love deep inside of her, she had also had orgasm before he came, the first by another person other than herself. When Mark finished he held her tightly knowing that he too would love her forever.

Mark finally softened enough to fall out of Mialing.

“Did you have to come out?” she purred.

“I wish I didn’t have to but that’s what men do,” he answered. “I’m going to take a shower and then I’ll be ready to go to dinner, okay?”

“Maybe,” responded Mialing.

Mark took his shower and returned to the room. Mialing hadn’t moved from the bed.

“Mark honey, could we do that again before we go to eat?” Mialing said in her most seductive voice.

Mark didn’t answer he just joined her in bed. This time because of obvious reasons the lovemaking lasted much longer. Mialing was satisfied beyond belief.

The couple went to dinner and then returned and made love for the rest of the night.

It was ten in the morning before Mialing woke from her sleep. Mark was still sleeping with his arm wrapped around her body cuddled up tight to her. She wondered what was poking her in the back enough to wake her and then she knew, Mark’s body was being naughty. She looked at the clock and knew they would have to leave soon if she was going to get to work on time.

Mialing stretched out like a cat and purred to Mark, “Honey, we should get going, we have a long drive ahead of us.”

Mark opened his eyes and saw the vision of loveliness looking at him.

”Do we have too?” he asked.

“I’m sorry but I have to be to work at eight, but there is something you might want to take care of first,” Mialing said as she looked at his erection.

“Maybe I should,” he said as he grabbed her and started to tickle her on her sides.

“Stop,” she screamed and giggled at the same time.

“Make me,” he said.

Mialing knew just what to do, she quickly rolled Mark over and sat on him, and just as quickly raised herself up and sat on his erection. Mialing felt it slide inside of her and asked, “Are you going to be a good boy now?”

Mark found it difficult to talk especially when Mialing began to lift herself up and down, pleasuring both she and Mark.

“I’ll be good,” he was finally able to say.

Mialing didn’t respond, the intensity of her feelings were too much for her to do anything but live in the moment. She was moaning as she had her first orgasm and when Mark came she again exploded in ecstasy. She fell on the bed, unable to continue sitting on Mark. She was a satisfied woman.

It was almost eleven by the time Mialing exited the shower and Mark entered to wash the previous evenings mess from his body. Mialing brushed her hair and decided to let it dry naturally in the car. She put on some lip-gloss and mascara and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She started to giggle when she saw herself, so this is what they mean when they say she looks well fucked. There was an inner glow pouring from her body that could mean only one thing, she was well fucked.

Mialing dressed in a clean pair of shorts and blouse and waited for Mark to finish his shower. She reflected on what had occurred the previous evening. She had lost her virginity to Mark. Mark had been so gentle and made her feel so good and seemed to want to please her above all other things, that she knew he loved her. Mialing was in love with Mark, there was no doubt about that, but then she wondered what would happen when his vacation was over, would he leave her, that thought terrified her, maybe he would want to move in with her, he did after all have a job to do, as did she. She could go with him, quit her job and be his wife. God what was she thinking, wife, hell, he only told her he loved her once, and maybe that was because of what they were doing at the time, he’s going to leave me, I know he is. Tears ran down Mialing’s face until they fell onto her legs, her insecurity was making a wreck of her fragile personality. Mark exited the bathroom and saw his love crying.

“Mialing, what’s wrong sweetheart?”

“You’re going to leave me, I just know you are,” she said as her tears intensified.

Mark went to her and held her tightly to his chest.

“Shh, shh, I’m not going to leave you, you’ll probably find some handsome guy and dump me instead.”

“I would never do that,” she whimpered.

“Then what makes you think I would leave you?”

“I don’t know,” she answered.

“I’ll never leave you Mialing, I love you. I thought I would never find a person that I could love as much as I love you, but when I first saw you, I knew I was wrong but I didn’t think you could love me as much in return.”

“Oh Mark, I love you so much it hurts, please don’t ever leave me.”

“I won’t, now let me go or we’ll end up back in bed and you will be late for work.”

“Would that be so bad?” she giggled.

“Mialing!” Mark answered.

Mark dressed and the couple drove back to Las Vegas with Mialing sitting with her legs curled under her and cuddled up tight to her man. Mialing was truly a woman in love.

Mialing arrived at home just in time to be to work on time. Mark drove her and assured her that he would be waiting for her when her shift ended.

Mark decided to gamble some more but not in the Bellagio. If anyone were to find out that he and Mialing were seeing each other it might jeopardize her job. Mark ended up playing at a different casino. He was bored with blackjack and decided to play poker instead. How hard could it be he wondered, heck blackjack wasn’t difficult once you mastered it, so he sat down at a low stakes table to pass time and try to win a few dollars. Two hours later he had lost over two thousand dollars and left with his tail between his legs, having learned a very important lesson about gambling, counting cards doesn’t work at poker and lying does. Mark went back to what he did best and that was to count cards at blackjack. He played for several hours and won back about half of what he had lost and then went to pick Mialing up at the end of her shift.

Mialing finished her shift and walked out of the casino and found Mark waiting for her.

“Hi,” Mialing said with a big smile.

“Hi, yourself,” Mark responded as he went to open Mialing’s door.

“Your such a gentleman,” she giggled, loving that he was.

“I’d better be or you might leave for someone that is,” he laughed. “What do you want to do today?”

“Anything you want as long as we’re together,” she said, as the two kissed.

Mark started the car and they soon arrived at Mialing’s home. Mialing made a light breakfast for them and went to take a shower.

“Mialing, I was thinking maybe we could ride the roller coasters today, I love coasters.”

“I’ve never done that, they frighten me.”

“I’ll be there to hold you, it’s safe.”

“First I have to shower and wash my hair, I hate it when it smells of cigarette smoke. We’ll have to sleep for a while, I’m really tired from work and yesterday,” she said.

“Okay, I’ll watch TV while I wait.”

Mark heard the water turn on in the shower and the shower door close as Mialing entered the shower. He wondered how he could be so lucky to have found such a nice girl as Mialing. He was watching a college football game when he heard the water stop and the door close. After a minute the hair drier started and he could imagine what it must be like to dry hair as long as Mialing’s, a real pain in the ass. If Mark could have read Mialing’s mind he would have known that she loved these moments of femininity when she luxuriated in becoming beautiful.

Mialing finished her hair and put on a short green satin robe with a tie around the waist She opened the door and walked into the living room. Mark was absorbed into the game.

“Giving me up for football already?” she laughed.

Every time she laughed Mark felt warm inside, how does she do that he wondered.

Mark looked up at Mialing and saw the very vision of loveliness. Her long black hair shown in the light and even with no makeup on, she was beautiful. Her skin was soft looking with the barest hint of a tan from the previous day and her eyes, God her eyes, those almond shaped wonders rimmed with the longest black lashes he had ever seen. Her robe was closed tight but was open just enough to show the barest amount of cleavage and he could see her nipples pushing against the fabric. The wrap followed her body down and stopped just after covering the most intimate part of her body, God he loved this woman.

“If I could see you like this every moment, I would never watch foot ball again,” he responded.

“Mark, you’re making me blush.”

Mark went to her and took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. Mialing kissed him back and they both knew it would be a while before they would sleep or went coaster riding. Mark found the sash on her robe and untied it. The robe fell loose and dropped to the floor. Mark picked Mialing up and carried her to the bedroom and they were soon making love again. When they finished slumber came quickly to the lovers. It was after two PM before they woke.

“Mark,” Mialing purred, “Do you still want to go on the coasters?”

“I’d like to stay here with you instead but I don’t think my body could take it, let me shower and then we’ll see what we’ll do.”

Mark took his shower and thought it best that they do something other than make love all the time. As much as he loved Mialing he also wanted to share other things with her.

“Honey,” he yelled from the bathroom, “Would you mind if we rode a few coasters?”

“If you insist.” She answered.

Mialing knew Mark wanted to ride the coasters so she was getting dressed when he came back to her bedroom. Luckily Mark had grabbed a change of clothes when Mialing was at work or he would have had to wear the same dirty clothes again. Mialing had just finished putting on a lacy wonder bra and matching thong panties. Mialing had always loved sexy intimate lingerie and this set was no exception. The bra pushed her breasts together creating the most sumptuous cleavage for Mark to see. Mialings’s breasts weren’t large but seemed to be perfect for her body, its as though her whole body was sculpted to be perfect. Mark entered the bedroom and saw Mialing. His towel was wrapped around his waist and he was soon sporting an erection.

“Mark, you must be magic to make your towel stand out like that,” murmured Mialing.

Mark blushed, if they could bottle this girl’s beauty, Viagra would go out of business, he thought.

“Come here you,” he said.

“No, no, don’t hurt me,” she giggled.

Soon they were chasing each other around the bed laughing and giggling until the chase ended in another love making session.

“Honey, are you mad at me for making it too late to go on the coasters?” asked Mialing.

“I could never be mad at you.”

“Ill make something for us to eat and we can just stay here until I have to work.”

“That sounds good,” he said.

Mark was thinking about his love when he remembered that she was going to tell him what had happened to Tommy after he disappeared from the facility in Colorado.

“Sweetheart, I was just wondering something, remember the other day you told me you would tell me what happened to Tommy after he ran from the relocation facility, would you tell me now?”

Mark felt Mialing grow tense when he mentioned Tommy, God I hope I didn’t fuck up, he thought.

“Do you really want to know?” she asked, “Wouldn’t you rather make love to me?”

“Yes, but I love you and I want to know everything about you and your friends, you know me, I’m a cop, I’m always asking questions.”

“But why about Tommy, nothing can bring him back, he was a friend and it makes me sad when I talk about him.”

“I’m sorry, I won’t ask about him again.”

“Maybe I should tell you what I know so you won’t wonder about him. I knew everything about Tommy and no we were never lovers if that’s what you are wondering. Tommy told me everything because he knew he could trust me to never tell anyone where he was. The last time I saw Tommy he told me what happened.”

***

“Tommy, they called from San Francisco and said they are going to convene the grand jury next week,” said Morton Web, the security advisor.

“It’s about time, I’ve been here for four months,” responded Tommy.

“It’s given you time to learn your new identity.”

“My new identity, crap the only thing different about me is my hair and it looks like I need a hair cut and this pathetic mustache under my nose, how is that going to fool anyone.”

“It’s the little things, your mannerisms and the false history of your life. We locate you in some little town in the middle of nowhere and you will be safe.”

“You’re scaring me Morton.”

Tommy wanted to use his knick name the other relocation witnesses had given him, Moron, but thought the better of it.

“I’m going to go to bed, I’m tired,” Tommy said. Being in the middle of nowhere already made one tired, boredom does that.

Tommy was in his room lying on his bed when he heard the door handle turn. No one ever entered another person’s room without knocking. Tommy was still living in heightened fear and as the door opened he rolled off the bed. He heard the sound from the gun echo through the room, pow, pow, pow, and felt the bed lurch as the bullets found their mark. The assailant walked to the bed to be sure Tommy was dead and didn’t expect the kick Tommy delivered to his mid section. The man curled over in pain and Tommy bolted from the room. Tommy ran out the door into the garden and made his way to an exit. A guard was standing next to the gate.

“Where are you going Tommy?” he asked.

“Just for a walk, I’ll be right back.”

“Be careful, we can’t protect you out there.”

“I’ll be fine,” he answered. Fine fucking job you did in there too, asshole, thought Tommy.

The compound was easy to leave, after all it wasn’t jail, it was there to keep people out not keep them in. There was no moon that night and Tommy slipped into the darkness. He had been smart enough to grab his fanny-pack with all his money on the way out the door. Tommy began to run once he was far enough away not to be noticed. He ran for around twenty feet before he tripped over something hidden in the dark and fell face down. He gathered himself and spit dirt out of his mouth as he rose from the ground. I’d better walk or the desert will kill me instead of a bullet, thought Tommy as he regained his feet. Tommy was startled as the lights of the compound came on. He crouched in the brush and saw a man running toward the gate. He saw the flash a gun and the figure fall forward onto the ground. Serves the bastard right thought Tommy, but he knew he couldn’t return to the compound, not after the Tong had found him there, he had to go somewhere he wouldn’t be found.

***

Tommy stepped off the bus and looked around. So this is New York City he thought, I’d better find Chinatown and a place to stay. Tommy found a map and eventually found his way to Chinatown.

He entered a seedy hotel and rented a room. He figured that he would stand out less in Chinatown than someplace else, in other words it’s easier to hide a needle in a sewing box than in a toolbox. Tommy went to his room and tried to make sense of his life. He had gone to the FBI for protection and nearly lost his life. He was supposed to testify before the grand jury in a week but if he told the FBI of his location it might be a death warrant. Better to hide and lay low for now he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

Tommy had his money stash and was able to stay in hiding for a month, and would have been able to hide indefinitely had it not been for the fact that one day while bathing someone stole his money pack. Tommy was screwed, he was going to have to find a job.

Tommy found one in a warehouse moving goods for an import export company. It was hard work but it paid the rent and left a little money for food. Tommy was stuck here until he was able to find a job that paid better.

Tommy had been working for almost a year when a strange man entered the warehouse. He went to the supervisor’s office and said something to Tommy’s boss and then exited the warehouse. Tommy was always watchful when strangers were around. Several minutes past and Tommy’s boss called him to his office.

“Tommy, I want you to take that pallet of boxes to the building next door, use the handcart,” he ordered.

“Okay boss.”

Tommy thought this was strange since the boxes were supposed to be moved to the upper floor of this building. Tommy loaded four boxes onto the handcart and rolled it out the door and across the alley to the other building. He slid the large door open and pushed the cart inside and closed the door behind him. Normally there would be other workers in the building but they were all gone. Tommy thought that there was something wrong with this and wheeled the cart to a row of shelving in the middle of the warehouse. He went to move the boxes off the cart when he heard a soft shuffling sound by a stack of boxes. He turned and noticed a foot moving out into the open and dived forward and saw a muzzle flash as a round was squeezed off. The bullet missed its mark causing dust to fly from the floor near Tommy. Tommy quickly sprang to his feet and ran down the aisle and rounded the corner and dove into a pile of empty boxes. He rolled onto his feet and crouched waiting for the gunman to come into view. The gunman approached the boxes not knowing Tommy was waiting for him. Just as he past the boxes Tommy nailed him with a roundhouse kick that sent the gun sailing. Both men ran for the gun and Tommy being the quicker of the two reached it first. Tommy grabbed it and turned on his assailant firing off two rounds. The man fell dead as Tommy watched.

The gangs knew where Tommy was and he had to escape. He donned the other man’s clothing and ran from the warehouse hoping to distract anyone watching long enough to escape the area. Tommy ran for many blocks and finally made his way onto the subway. He had little money on him but was able to ride the train to the end of the line. Tommy had to think, what can I do now, all my things are in my room and I’m sure it’s being watched, I just killed another gang member so that about seals my fate, think Tommy, think.

Tommy began to walk and found a truck stop and went inside to buy something to eat. He struck up a conversation with a trucker and asked if he could hitch a ride with him. The trucker said it would be all right, but that he was going to Florida. Tommy didn’t care as long as it was away from the city. Tommy reached Florida and had only five dollars to his name and a gun. He thought about robbing a store but then thought twice about it, he had no criminal record and had received immunity from all his other crimes so he pawned the gun instead. Tommy now had fifty dollars in his pocket but knew that wouldn’t last long.

I have to try to get back to Colorado he thought. It might be risky but it’s probably the safest place I can be. Tommy once again went to a truck stop and started hitching rides until he finally reached his destination. Tommy walked up to the guard at the gate.

“Stop, where do you think you’re going,” said the guard as he placed his hand on his gun.

“I need to get inside,” responded Tommy.

“This is a secured facility, you can’t enter.”

“But I used to live here.”

“Give me your name and I’ll see if they will let you in.”

“Tommy, Tommy Wong,” Tommy said. It seemed strange to him to say his real name after going by aliases for the past year.

The guard got on the radio and told the receptionist that there was a Tommy Wong wanting to gain admission.

Tommy heard the voice say, “Did you say Tommy Wong? We thought he was dead, send him right in.”

The guard let Tommy enter and was greeted warmly buy the receptionist. Tommy was brought to a room and was allowed to rest before any questioning would occur.

***

Mialing rolled over and looked at Mark and said, “And that was the last I ever heard from Tommy again. He was never seen after that, he disappeared.”

“He never contacted you after that?”

“No, he was afraid that if the gangs found out about me, they would kill me too, so he never contacted me again and that’s why I told you he was dead. Tommy Wong returned to the facility and he was given a new identity and could never be Tommy Wong again. As far as his friends were concerned Tommy died and someone new was born. Heck he’s probably off living in some God forsaken town in the middle of nowhere working for Wall mart or something.”

“That makes sense, I guess they must have relocated him with a new identity. They normally send them to small towns off the beaten path so they can at least live a somewhat normal life, I hope he’s okay.”

“I’m sure he is, Tommy was always a survivor. Do you feel better now, no more Tommy questions, promise?” Mialing said as she kissed Mark on his lips.

“As long as you keep kissing me like that,” Mark said as he kissed her back.

“Stop,” she giggled, “I have to get ready for work. What are you going to do while I’m working?”

“I have to go by my motel and get a change of clothes.”

“Why don’t you bring everything here and get rid of your room, we’re practically living together anyway.”

“Are you asking me to move in?”

“Kind of, I love you Mark and I don’t want us to be apart.”

Mark went to his motel to retrieve his clothing and move it to Mialing’s apartment. He left his bag by the door not knowing where to store his things. After that he went out and found a tourist guide to Las Vegas, as much as he loved Mialing he wanted to do other things rather than lie in bed all day. Mark played some cards but was becoming bored with that too.

Mark picked Mialing up after work and they stopped for a bite to eat on the way home.

“What do you want to do today?” asked Mark.

“I haven’t thought about it, we should shop for some food, we can’t live on love alone,” giggled Mialing.

“I guess we should and then maybe we can ride the coasters. I don’t have much time left on my vacation and I’d like to do some other things with you. Have you ever played golf?” asked Mark.

“No, never, I don’t know how to play.”

“I can teach you, it’s fun.”

“What about golf clubs?”

“We can rent them, I’ll see if we can get a time tomorrow.”

The couple left the restaurant and walked to the car. Miaking took Mark’s hand in hers and intertwined her delicate fingers with his. Mialing felt safe and protected with Mark, she truly loved this man. Mark opened her door for her and the couple drove home and soon were in each other’s arms, fast asleep.

Mialing woke first and donned a tank top and a pair of shorts and then went to make some breakfast for Mark. She had pulled her hair back behind her ears and pinned it with barrettes. Mark woke and found his love missing from the bed. He heard her in the kitchen and quietly came up behind her and put his arms around her waist and kissed her softly on the side of her neck. “Umm,” she purred as she moved her head toward the left exposing more of her delicious skin to Mark’s mouth. Mark continued caressing her with his lips until she could no longer work on breakfast. Her legs began to quiver as the excitement of the seduction overwhelmed her. Her hands grabbed the edge of the sink as she felt Mark pull her shorts and panties down her legs and waited for the invasion she so much needed at this point. Her shorts fell to the floor and she was able to step out of them and then spread her legs as Mark moved his erection between her legs and then entered her. She leaned farther over the sink so Mark could go deeper into her and felt him thrust in and out of her. As her first orgasm hit her one arm flew out to the side knocking dishes everywhere and when Mark came she had her second and moaned, “Ohhhh, God,” and collapsed onto the sink, her legs no longer able to support her.

Mialing finally recovered and said, “God honey, I can’t believe we just did that.”

“I couldn’t help myself, you looked so sexy standing there.”

“Yuck, like this, no shoes or makeup, you must be blind,” she laughed.

“You’re always beautiful, you could never be ugly no matter how hard you tried.”

“Now I know you’re blind.”

“Mialing, beauty comes from within, that’s why I love you. Sure you could win a beauty contest but the judges wouldn’t be able to see what I see, an inner beauty that makes me weak.”

When Mark said that, Mialing stopped laughing, how could she be so lucky to have found a man like this? A tear of joy ran down her cheek as she kissed her man deeply with love, and Mark knew he was the luckiest man in the world.

Mialing finished making breakfast and the coupled showered and went to the various coasters in the Vegas area. Everywhere they went they were hand in hand, playing kissy-face with each other not caring what people thought, they knew they were in love.

Mialing rode every ride with Mark and screamed on each one and by the time they had finished riding them all, she liked them almost as much as Mark did.

The next day they played golf with Mark trying to teach Mialing how to swing the clubs. Mark would stand behind Mialing and take her hands in his and show her how to hold the club.

“Like this, sweetheart,” he would say and then kiss her on the cheek.

“How do you expect me to concentrate when you keep kissing me?” she asked.

“It makes you a stronger player, if you are distracted.”

“I think you’re just doing this to beat me.”

“I’m doing it for different reasons and you love it.”

“Maybe I do, but your not being fair.”

“Okay, I’ll stop.”

“Don’t you dare,” Mialing giggled.

The couple finished their round with Mialing beating her lover by two strokes. Mark was an eight handicap golfer and could only shoot good enough to come within the two strokes of Mialing. Well maybe Mark cheated just a little so she could win but he didn’t care, he loved this girl and all he wanted for her was happiness.

Mialing knew Mark had let her win and wondered how a man could be so wonderful to her, doing everything he could to please her, not just making love but in everything they did. She felt as though he was doting over her, which he was, but he always remained a man, he made her feel special. They returned home and Mialing dressed for work.

“Mark honey, I left my skirt on the ironing board, could you bring it to me please?”

“Sure,” Mark answered.

Mialing had just finished her makeup and was standing with just her blouse on as Mark entered the bedroom. Her legs were exposed from where the blouse stopped all the way to her feet. Mialing had decided to wear more shadow tonight and looked hot.

“God you look good,” Mark said.

“Well don’t touch until I get home from work, its too much work to look like this,” she responded.

“Alright, I can wait. We have to talk about what were going to do after my vacation is over, it ends in a couple of days and I have to go back to work.”

“The last week has been so wonderful I hadn’t even thought about that, do you have to go back to work? Wouldn’t you want to be a kept man instead?” laughed Mialing. Mialing laughed a lot these days, more than she ever had before. She had finally found what was missing in her life and it made everyday special to her.

“It should be me keeping you, what kind of man would I be if I just laid around while you supported me?”

“A well rested one,” giggled Mialing.

“I don’t need rest for you to excite me, all I have to do is see your hair or smell your fragrance when you walk into the room and its all I can do to control myself, I love you Mialing.”

“I love you too, now I’d better go or I won’t want to go to work.”

Mialing drove herself to work and Mark wondered where this was all going. He loved Mialing more than life itself and knew he wanted to be with her forever. He wanted to ask her to marry him the moment he met her and then after the night she had given herself to him he knew she was the one he would marry. But as he thought more about marriage he recalled what one of his friends had told him about marrying, wait until your sure. Everything seems wonderful at first because the warts never show but after the luster wears off you see the imperfections and some you might not like, so wait a little while before you jump into such a big commitment. I guess he should know, he never listened to himself and has been divorced three times. Mark wondered, what do I really know about Mialing, what’s her favorite flower, her favorite food, colors, does she like sports, which ones, what’s her family like, would they like me, does she have any brothers or sisters, where do they live, the only thing I really know about her is that she likes to make love and that she makes me feel like I’m walking on top of the world.

Mialing returned home from work and she and Mark fell back into their familiar pattern of making love and not much of anything else. It was time for Mark to return to work so it was time for some serious discussion.

“Mialing, I have to fly back to San Francisco tomorrow morning to go back to work. Where is that going to leave us and what do you want to do about us?” Mark asked.

“I really haven’t given it much thought. When I met you, you said that you worked undercover all over the country?”

“Yes, I was in Atlantic City for three years, why do you ask?”

“Because, if your never home, home can be anywhere, can’t it?”

“You have a point, I have an apartment in San Francisco but all it really is, is a place to keep my things, I’m never there. I think the only reason I keep it is that my parents still live nearby.”

“Why couldn’t you live here with me? You could go to your assignments and know I would be waiting for you to come home. This would be a home, not some empty place you live and we could get to know each other better. Mark, I would really like to meet your parents.”

“Are you asking me to marry you?”

“No silly, you’re supposed to ask me, but not yet, we don’t know enough about each other.”

“Mialing, not only are you pretty, you’re wise, I love you.”

“Do you really Mark, do you love me or just what you see?”

“The first time I saw you I fell in love, but as I’ve gotten to know you my love has grown deeper. I’ve found the real you inside and that’s who I love.”

“I know you think you love me, but you really don’t know anything about me, just that we make each other feel good when we make love. How will you feel about me when I’m old and toothless and my skin is all wrinkled, my boobs have sagged down to my stomach and my hair is gray, will you still want me then?”

“I can ask you the same question, will you love me when my hair is gone and I have bags under my eyes, my stomach has a paunch and my skin is all loose and saggy?”

“Mark, that’s a stupid question to ask me, do you think I would have given myself to you if I didn’t like what I saw inside of you that night, I fell in love with the Mark you can’t see, not the one you can.”

“Mialing, all I can tell you is that I love you. I shouldn’t have to prove that to you, you should know how I feel about you.”

“I know Mark and I know you love me but you have to be patient with me, I may project a woman with confidence but I’m very insecure and I worry that you might leave me and if that were to happen, I just don’t know what I would do. You are the only man I have ever slept with and only did because I knew you were someone special, so please don’t think I’m trying to place a burden on you, it’s just that I gave you as much as I could give, I gave you myself.”

“Mialing, I love you, I wish there was someway for me to show you that.”

“Then be with me.”

“I will, I’ll move my things into storage and live here with you. When I’m away I’ll have you to think about to keep me happy and who knows, maybe one day we will marry.”

“Oh Mark,” Mialing said as she fell into Mark’s arms and the two made love.

The following morning Mark flew to San Francisco after a tearful goodbye with Mialing.

“Mark, please call me when you land or I’ll be worried sick.”

“I will sweetheart, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

***

Mark walked to the plane and it departed on time. As soon as it landed in San Francisco Mark called Mialing that he had arrived. Mialing was able to go home and sleep knowing her love was safe.

Mark went directly to the federal building and reported for assignment.

“Mark, welcome back, how were your two weeks off?” asked Ted Lemon. Ted and Mark entered the academy at the same time and had both gone onto undercover work for the excitement. Ted walked with a slight limp from a drug bust gone bad and was shot in the leg only after being shot in the chest and having his Kevlar vest save his life. He preferred desk duty after that and when he married, his wife laid the law down, no more undercover work.

“It was the most incredible two weeks I’ve ever had.”

“Cool, you can tell me about it after work.”

Mark and Ted enter a small conference room for briefing on Mark’s next assignment. Ted would be his contact from the field and the two felt comfortable working together.

Mark’s supervisor was Rich Williams, a large black man who also had left the field after being slashed in a knife attack. He wanted to return but the service felt he was more useful in the office because he was one of those rare individuals who can multitask and not forget details about every case he is running.

“Mark, we want to send you to Chicago. There is a land scam there that sells property that doesn’t exist and we need to find out how they are able to record nonexistent land in all of the recorder’s offices. This should probably take six or eight weeks. It will be safer than your last assignment. I don’t think these people are too dangerous so I wouldn’t worry too much. Do you have any questions?”

“No.”

“Good, tomorrow morning you are to fly to Chicago and meet Roger Crane at FBI headquarters there and he will brief you on how you’re to infiltrate the operation. You might as well go home and get ready, tomorrow’s going to be a long day, by the way how was your vacation?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“That good huh?”

“Yep, that good,” Mark said with a smile.

Mark and Ted walked back to Ted’s office and Ted asked, “Hey, Jack, Will, and I are meeting for drinks later, you want to join us?”

“Sure, what time?”

“Five-thirty at the Shipper’s Lounge, see you then.”

Mark went home and packed for his trip to Chicago, a weeks worth of clothes. He would find a laundry service to keep his clothes clean, no sense over packing. Mark finished packing and phoned Mialing.

Mialing’s phone rang several times and then the answering machine clicked on.

“Hi honey, it’s me Mark. I’m just calling to tell you that I love you and miss you already. I have to go to Chicago tomorrow and I’ll be there for six or eight weeks but I’ll try to call you every day. I’m going out with some of the guys from work and should be home by nine I know you will be working but call and leave a message anyway, you have my number, love you,” Mark said as he hung up the phone.

Mark phoned his parents to tell them of his good luck and that they might be having a daughter-in-law soon, but decided it would be better if he did it in person.

“Mom, I’m coming over for a few minutes, I have something to tell you.”

“Okay Mark, dad and I will be waiting for you.”

Mark drove to his parent’s house out in the avenues of San Francisco. He hugged both of his parents, as they hadn’t seen him for several years. They kept in touch but they knew how dangerous his job was and that he could be gone for months on end.

“Mom, dad, I’ve missed you.”

“We’ve missed you too son, how have you been?” asked his father.

“I’ve been wonderful, great, mom dad, I’m in love. I met the most incredible girl while I was on vacation and I think I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

“You’re going to ask her to marry you? Don’t you think two weeks is kind of soon, what do you know about this girl?” asked his mother.

“I know that I love her, isn’t that enough?”

“Love is for fairy tales, you need more than that to build a marriage, what does she do?”

“She deals cards at a casino.”

“She’s a gambler?”

“No mom, she just deals cards, I don’t think she even gambles with her money, I know she doesn’t drink alcohol, she’s just special mom.”

“Is she pretty?”

“Mom, she’s the prettiest woman I’ve ever met, not just outside but inside too. I don’t know how to describe how she makes me feel, I look at her and, it’s just the way she is, she talks to me and her voice is magic and when she moves she has the grace of a cat and her laugh, God her laugh, it makes me want to run in the streets yelling I love you Mialing.”

“Mialing, is she Chinese?”

“Yes, mom, she’s Chinese, do you have a problem with that?”

“Uhh, well no, I just thought you would marry a nice white girl.”

“Christ mom, this is the twenty-first century not nineteen twenty for God’s sake. You have to start looking past a persons exterior and see the real person inside mom and Mialing is a special person inside, she’s giving and thoughtful, there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her, I love her so much.”

“Yes but what do you think the neighbors are going to say when they see you with that girl?”

“Well mom, the men are going to say, that lucky son of a bitch and the women will want to know how she keeps her hair so pretty, get over it mom, I’m going to marry Mialing. Do you remember when Mr. Wong down the street had a fit when his daughter dated that white boy years ago and you said he should get over it, what’s the difference now?”

“I don’t know, maybe its because we haven’t met the girl yet and that’s the way parents are, nobody is good enough for their children.”

“Mom you’re going to love Mialing, she’s perfect.”

“Yes, I suppose she is.”

“Mom, dad, I’m meeting the guys for a drink and have to be going, I just wanted to tell you about Mialing. I have to go to Chicago for a while and then I’ll bring her by to meet you, I’ll see you when I get back, love you guys.”

“We love you too Mark.”

Mark joined Ted and the guys for drinks at the lounge and everyone wanted to know if he had fun in Vegas.

“So how was Vegas Mark?” asked Will. Will and Jack were both single and still a bit wild as was Mark before meeting Mialing.

“It was great, I’m thinking of moving there.”

“Whoa dude, you must have had some fun. Did you see any shows?’

“Yeah a couple, you know Celine Dion and Penn and Teller, man those guys are funny.”

“Didn’t you go to any of the chick show’s just off the strip?”

“No, I didn’t have time.”

“You didn’t have time, there’s always time for that.”

“Not this time, I was really busy.”

“After here let’s go over to Mitchell Brothers for some fun with titties,” said Jack.

“No I can’t, it wouldn’t be right,” answered Mark.

“What? What did you do get married or something while you were away, that didn’t sound like the Mark Conrad I know.”

“No, I didn’t get married.”

“You met a girl didn’t you?” asked Ted.

“Yes, I did.”

“I knew it, there was something different about you this morning. I told my wife a long time ago when you met the woman for you, you would fall hard. I could tell when I saw you this morning, you had this silly shit-eating grin on your face that said it all. Who is she?”

“She’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. She’s beautiful and funny and to be perfectly honest I worship the ground she walks on.”

“Where did you meet her?”

“At the Bellagio, she’s a dealer there. Her name’s Mialing.”

“Did you say Mialing?” asked Will.

“Yes, why?”

“Dude, your dating Mialing, shit I was in Vegas at a bachelor party and was playing cards there and saw her. Shit I dropped fifteen hundred dollars trying to get her to go out with me. I’d look in those eyes of hers and my brain would turn stupid, hell I even hit on nineteen once. She looked at me and asked if I wanted a hit and I said yes, it was all I could do to keep from jumping her right there, God what a sexy woman she was.”

“Did she go out with you?”

“Not a chance in hell, I followed her after she got off work and asked her again and she told me her husband wouldn’t let her. I know she was just saying that to blow me off but it was nice the way she did it, and now you’re dating her?”

“Yep, and I’m going to move in with her after I get back from Chicago.”

“You lucky bastard, well congratulations any way, invite me to the wedding, at least I’ll be able to dance with the bride.”

The guys finished their drinks and went home, Mark feeling so much the better for not doing anything to jeopardize his relationship with Mialing and the guys not believing how lucky Mark was.

Mark got home and Mialing had left a message on his machine.

“Hi baby, I miss you so much, I got your message, call me when you get to Chicago, you know me, I worry a lot, especially about you, if anything were to happen to you, I’d just die. I’m going to take a shower now before I go to work so think about me, I love you.”

Mark went to bed smiling that night.

***

The next day found Mark in the offices of the FBI in Chicago.

“Here’s the way we’re going to work this Mark. Your new name is Bill Jepson. You were a real estate agent and lost your license because of fraud. You just got out of prison and need a job. We’ve built a paper trail for you so if they check up on you they’ll find everything we want them to find. Swing by their offices tomorrow and put in a job application and after they check you out, I’m sure they’ll offer you a job. Here’s the numbers of your contact in Chicago, this should go pretty smooth but we aren’t sure who’s behind this but I’m sure we’ll find out. Be careful Mark.”

Mark found a cheap apartment to rent. Just coming out of prison meant that he had no money and this dive would be the best he could afford.

He called Mialing and caught her just before she had to go to work.

“Hello,” she said as she answered the phone.

Mialing’s voice ate right through him again, he couldn’t believe a voice would affect him like that but it did. He felt as though she was there with him.

“Hi honey, I just wanted to call, I miss you so much, I don’t know how I’m going to last for all this time without you.”

“I miss you too Mark, you left one of you shirts here, I’ll wash it for you so it will be clean when you come back. What are you doing there?”

“Just working on a realty scam, nothing dangerous.”

“Promise, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I promise, it’s just some scam artists, I don’t even think they know how to fire a gun.”

“Okay, but I still worry. I have to run now or I’ll be late for work and you know how I am about time, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, I love you.”

After talking to Mialing Mark could care less where he was living as long as he had her waiting for him when he came home, to their home.

Mark started the next day by putting the sting in action with the FBI. He applied for a job with The Mid West Lots For Sale group by filling out an application. He made sure to lie on the application so when they checked it out they would see he was a man not to be trusted, he was one of their kind of guys. He was called back for an interview.

“Good morning Bill, I’m Charles Rangle. I’m the office manager and Vice President of Mid West Lots,” Charles said as the men shook hands. “I’ll make this brief Bill, we reviewed your job application and I think we might be able to use you. We’re the kind of company that likes to help people that are down on their luck. I see that you just got out of prison, what were you in for?”

“I was convicted of fraud,” answered Mark.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“I really don’t want to but if it means the difference between getting the job or not, I’ll tell you what I did. I falsified some documents on a real estate deal I was involved with. I ended up in prison for it but I learned my lesson, it’s the straight and narrow for me from now on.”

Charles couldn’t believe what he was hearing from Bill, this guy will fit right in and if there is a problem with some deal they can always blame him, he’ll let him fry for their mistake.

“You know Bill, I’ve always been the type of person that likes to give a guy a second chance and since you learned your lesson and what the heck you only made a little mistake, I think I’ll hire you.”

“Really Mr. Rangle, wow, thanks, I need all the breaks I can get,” Mark said as he groveled to Charles.

“Hey, call me Charles, were just one big family here, when can you start?”

“Right now if you want, its not like I have a lot to do.”

“Done deal Bill, let me introduce you around the office and get you set up, we’ve got a lot of property to sell.”

Charles introduced Mark around the office and showed him his desk. He handed him a stack of leads to call on in the hopes he might find one sucker in the bunch, to buy the nonexistent property.

“Here you go Bill, if you have any questions see my assistant,” Charles said as he turned his back to Mark and walked away with a smug smile on his face. What a rube, thought Charles, he’ll be back in prison so fast, it’ll make his head spin.

Mark finished work and called his contact at the FBI.

“Johnson’s Appliances.” said the voice on the phone. This introduction was used just in case the number found its way into the wrong hands. The agents always used a cell phone to call with a secure number so they wouldn’t be tapped.

“This is Mark Conrad.”

“Hello Mark, how are things going?”

“Good, they already hired me and put me to work today. I think they must have thought they died and went to heaven when they read my job application. I know my boss did, I could tell he would use me as a scapegoat if anything happens with their operation. You know how greed is, if its too good to be true than it probably is too good to be true, anyway I’m in and I’ll check back with you at the end of the week whether anything happens or not.”

Mialing had just finished her first shift and went to eat her lunch. She walked to a table with two women that were talking.

“Hi Sarah, do you mind if I sit with you and Marlene?” asked Mialing.

“Sure Mialing, don’t you usually sit with the wild single girls? What do you want from a couple of old married women like us?” asked Sarah laughed.

“I thought it would be nice to talk about something other than guys for a change,” Mialing said as she sat at the table.

“A pretty girl like you not talking about guys, why the big change, oops, wait a minute, you’ve found someone haven’t you, tell us everything Mialing,” said Marlene.

“You’re making me blush,” responded Mialing.

“You are blushing, you must really like this guy, tell us all about him.”

“His name is Mark and he’s so nice to me, God I love him so much, its making me crazy being apart.”

“Wow Mialing he sounds really special to have won your heart like this, what does he do for a living, he’s not a dealer is he?” asked Sarah. Sarah was concerned because her husband dealt cards at MGM and he was always cheating on her with some floozy he met at the tables. Everyone knew what a nice girl Mialing was and didn’t want to see her hurt by some asshole.

“My goodness no, he works for the FBI and he does undercover work.”

“That sounds exciting,” said Marlene, “Don’t you worry he might get shot or something?” Marlene was a sweet girl. She was only twenty-four years old but had three children, two boys and a girl. She was a cocktail waitress because she needed the tips. Marlene was one of those girls that developed early and fast in school. She had D size breasts by the second year of school and as such attracted the attention of any male she past. During her third year of high school she met a guy seven years her senior and was impressed with being with an older man. She was knocked up two months later and dropped out of school. She moved in with him and had two more kids by the time she was twenty-one. Marlene was very pretty and her “old man” would strut his stuff whenever they went out together. Having children put a brake on activity like that so it didn’t take her boyfriend long to stray. They had children but never found time to marry, or at least her boy friend never found time, why should he, it would cut into his time away from Marlene. Her boyfriend came home one night with lipstick all over his face and his pants were unzipped. Marlene confronted him and he hit her and that was that, she kicked him out. Marlene never trusted a man enough to form a relationship after that, and besides there aren’t a lot of men that want to take on the responsibility of a readymade family. Now her concern was for Mialing, she didn’t want Mialing to be left like she was.

“I do worry, but I’m sure he’ll be alright, he says he’s going to move in with me after he finishes his next assignment, I’m so excited.”

“Oow, you went to bed with him didn’t you?” giggled Sarah.

Mialing blushed and said, “Yes.”

“Was he good?” Sarah asked.

Women can be just as naughty as guys except they do it in a much nicer way. A guy would say, “Did you fuck her?” but a woman would say, “Did you make love?” With a guy it’s all about the physical part of fucking, the intense rush of coming. With a woman it’s the mental aspect of making love and having your partner bring you to orgasm and then cuddling afterward, showing that he loves you. If it was up to the guy he couldn’t wait to grab a beer and watch the game, he did his part, he got off, wasn’t that enough?

Mialing was blushing again, “Yes he was wonderful.”

“Did he hold you afterward?”

“Yes, he held me all night as though someone might steal me.”

“You’re so lucky, God when Ralph and I make love, he can’t get finished quick enough, wham, bam, thank you mam, he could set the world record, I swear,” laughed Sarah.

Sarah’s life had been no bowl of cherries either. She and Ralph had two children, a boy and a girl. They lived in a rundown apartment complex just off the strip. Ralph had been a contractor and had his leg nearly taken off in an accident on a job. Since it was his company he had no insurance on himself and ended up in the hospital for months. His business went to hell and failed. When he got out of the hospital he had no job and was in debt. He couldn’t find a loan to start over again and his leg didn’t allow him to work in construction so he went to work in the casinos. He was bitter with his life and took it out on Sarah by cheating on her, screwing anything with skirts. Sarah looked the other way because she needed his money to help raise their kids. Sarah laughed a lot, not because she was happy but used it as a shield to hide her real feelings. Sarah was bitter with life, her husband was a cheat and she had to work to keep food on the table. Her kids had grown up without her and were in trouble all the time. The boy was fifteen and the girl was twelve going on twenty. She knew her daughter had already had sex with some low life and had put her on the pill but she was worried that she would pickup some disease from some idiot that didn’t use a condom.

“Are you two going to get married?” asked Marlene.

“I hope so, he hasn’t asked me yet.” answered Mialing.

“Well you be sure before you tie the knot, make sure he’s a good man and not like my Ralph,” said Sarah.

“Where did you meet him?” asked Marlene.

“He was playing at my table and he asked me out.”

“Lots of guys ask you out, why did you go with this one?”

“I don’t know, he seemed so nice that I couldn’t resist his charms,” giggled Mialing.

“Look how time flies, it’s time to go back to work, you have to let us meet your guy before you marry him so we can make sure he’s right for you,” said Marlene.

“I’ll invite you over to my place when he comes back,” responded Mialing.

The ladies rose and walked back into the casino to go back to work.

***

Mark started his second week of work by selling some property to a fictitious client. The client was actually the FBI but the sale needed to be done in order to make a bust on the operation. The deposit check arrived on Thursday and Charles was quite pleased.

“Good job Bill, keep those checks coming in, my partners will be pleased.”

“Thanks Charles,” answered Bill.

That afternoon Mark saw a man enter Charles’ office. He looks familiar Mark thought but couldn’t place the man. The man walked back out of Charles’ office and looked at Mark. He seemed to recognize Mark and yet he didn’t, it was a strange experience. All of a sudden a light went off in Mark’s head, that guy was one of the hoods involved in the gambling scheme in Atlantic City. While Mark was undercover he had sported a beard and mustache but now he was clean-shaven. Shit, I hope that idiot doesn’t recognize me, Mark thought.

“Who is that new guy?” asked the man.

“That’s Bill Jepson, we just hired him. I checked him out, he’s cool, he’s already sold some property,” said Charles.

“I don’t know, there’s something about him I don’t like. If worse comes to worse, we can always off him, I’ll be back next week.”

Mark called his contact and told them of his chance encounter with the Atlantic City hood.

“Johnson’s Appliances.”

“It’s Mark Conrad, I have some news for you.”

“Hi Mark, everything is going well I hope.”

“Yes and no. This guy came by our offices today and I recognized him as one of the guys involved with the gambling thing back east and I’m not sure but I think he might have recognized me or at least thought he had seen me before.”

“That sucks, we’re getting close to making the bust but if you think you’re in danger maybe we should pull you out?”

“I’d hate to do that now, I’m sure we should be able to bring these guys down by the end of next week. This has gone smoother than we thought it would and besides with the connection to the group in Atlantic City it would be a shame to have to start all over again. If we tip our hand now the rats might scatter and we’ll lose everything, I’d better stay.”

“Okay, good luck, but if you do have a problem we’ll bring you out whether you want to or not.”

“That’s a deal.”

When Mark was in his previous assignments he would throw caution to the wind because he didn’t have anyone to worry about other than himself, but now he had Mialing and the thought of not seeing her again scared him. Mark missed her terribly. He wanted to hold her and feel her touch as she caressed his back with her fingers while they made love. Mark was even considering working a desk just so he wouldn’t have to be away from the girl who had stolen his heart. Mark picked up the phone and called his love.

“Hi sweetheart, how’s everything going?”

“Mark, hi, I miss you, how much longer are you going to be?”

“Maybe a few more weeks, it’s actually going better than we thought.”

“I wish you were here to hold me,” Mialing said.

“I wish I was too.”

“I have to go to work now baby, call me tomorrow?”

“Of course I will, just hearing your voice makes my life worth living.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Mark lowered the phone and changed clothes. It was time to have dinner at his customary restaurant. Mark was also bothered by the thought that the stranger had recognized him. He usually left his pistol hidden in his luggage but now he decided to bring it with him. He always carried a backup strapped to his leg, a small 22 automatic pistol, but he felt he should carry more fire power with him, so he decided to bring the 9mm. Mark walked to the corner dive and ordered the pork chop, he had eaten one before and it was tasty so he figured why not again.

Mark had just finished his meal when a man came into the coffee shop and pulled a gun on the waitress.

“Give me all your cash and nobody make a move,” he yelled as he held his gun to the girl’s head. “You cook, get out here!” he pulled the waitress to the cash register and made her open the drawer. There was maybe two hundred dollars in the register.

“Is this all?” he demanded.

“It’s a slow night,” she responded.

“Everybody, empty your pockets,” the man yelled.

Mark was in a quandary. He could drop the gun-man when he released the waitress but that would blow his cover, he could give the guy his money and hoped that he wouldn’t find his gun or he could blow the man’s brains out and run from the scene and hope no one knew who he was, which probably wouldn’t work seeing as how he had eaten there almost everyday. He decided giving his money to the robber would be the most prudent move. Mark emptied his pockets and laid his money on the table. The robber came and took it and counted it.

“Almost a hundred fifty, is that all you have.”

“That’s it, I don’t want any trouble.”

The robber sneered at Mark and walked away. He left the restaurant and ran down the street.

“Where’s a cop when you need one?” asked the waitress.

“Probably down the street eating doughnuts,” laughed Mark.

The waitress called 911 and the police were there minutes later. They interviewed each person and finally got to Mark. Mark knew the drill, probably better than the cop asking the questions but he played dumb, nobody could know he was undercover on a case.

“What’s your name sir?”

“Bill, Bill Jepson.”

“Tell us what you saw Bill.”

“This guy came in and held a gun to the girl’s head and then robbed everyone. Man he scared the crap out of me. I gave him all the money I had on me, almost a hundred fifty dollars.”

“That’s a lot for this neighborhood, how come you’re carrying so much loot?”

“I just went to the bank for some cash to pay my rent.”

“I might need to talk to you some more. I’ll need your address and where you work.”

Mark gave him the information he asked for and went home. He told the waitress he would be back tomorrow to pay his bill. Mark was angry because he couldn’t do anything about the robbery. If he wasn’t undercover he could have but as it was he didn’t need this attention and worried that the police might find Bill’s alleged past and open him up to scrutiny by Charles and the gang. Mark was cursing his bad luck. The only thing that would make him feel better was talking to Mialing.

Mialing answered the phone on the second ring. She knew it was Mark because he called at this time everyday. “Hello.”

“Hi baby, I miss you, how’s your day going?”

“Great, I went shopping and bought all kinds of clothes. I’ll model them for you when you get home. I’ll save the sexiest one for last because I know what you will do to me when you see it.”

“And what do you think I’ll do when I see you in it?”

“If you don’t know, I’ll be disappointed,” she giggled softly.

Mark felt his penis twitch when he heard her giggle. How does she do that he wondered.

“How was your day?” she asked.

“It was the pits, I got held up by some low life and couldn’t do anything about it. I just gave him my money and let him leave.”

“You poor thing, are you alright?” Mialing asked with concern in her voice.

“I’m fine, I could have shot him but that would have blown my cover and I can’t let that happen.”

“Be careful sweetheart, I’ll talk to you tomorrow, I love you.”

“I love you.” Mark said as he hung up the phone.

Mark was at work the next day when a police officer entered the office and asked for Bill Jepson.

The receptionist pointed at Mark and the officer walked over to his desk. Everyone in the office watched as he questioned Bill.

“Bill, I’m officer Watts and I need to talk to you some more about last night. We happened to run your name and found that you just got out of prison, can you explain that?”

“I was released last month, what difference does that make?”

“We thought maybe you might have been that guy’s partner, you know, case a joint and then rob it. You’re there to make sure there are no cops in the place and signal your partner that it’s okay, the place is safe.”

“You can’t be serious.” Mark said with exasperation in his voice.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m working now, why would I blow a good job for a couple hundred bucks?”

“How did you know how much money was taken?”

“The waitress explained that it was a slow night and that’s all there was. That’s why he robbed the rest of us.”

“Is there anything else you can tell us about the robbery?”

“Just what I told them last night, nothing more.”

“Here’s my card, if you remember anything else call me and don’t leave town.”

“I won’t, my probation officer won’t let me,” answered Mark in a sarcastic tone of voice.

The officer left and it took Charles all of three seconds to reach mark’s desk.

“What was that all about, Bill?”

“I was held up last night at the coffee shop I eat at all the time. The bastard got me for a hundred fifty bucks, man now I’m really broke.”

“I’ll tell you what I can do for you, I’ll have a check drawn from one of the escrow accounts to tide you over until payday, how’s that sound?”

“Wow, that would be great Charles, thank you very much.”

“No problem Bill, I like you.”

Charles liked Bill all right, by giving him money from an illegal deal he was implicating him in the scheme. Once he took the money Charles would own him.

Mark received the check that afternoon and brought it to the FBI to have it put into evidence. They would photocopy the check before Mark cashed it. He had to cash it or Charles would know something was up, if he was so broke why hadn’t he cashed the check. Mark went to a check-cashing store and cashed the check and brought the money back to the FBI as proof he had indeed received cash from Charles. He then drew money from the department to live on and went back to work the next day.

It was a Friday and things were quiet around the office. Charles decided to treat the staff to lunch. Someone would have to stay behind to answer the phones so Mark volunteered since he was the newest employee.

Everyone left and Mark finally had his opportunity to search through the files. Mark only had a short amount of time so he rushed through as many files as he could. He didn’t find much, not nearly as much as he expected. The only file he couldn’t see was the one in Charles office. Charles had locked his office door and Mark didn’t have time to pick the lock. He copied everything he thought was pertinent and closed the files back up. What Mark didn’t realize was that one of the files slid down and when he returned the files he had copied he placed them on top of the errant file. Cecilia would find the file the following Monday.

Mark brought the copied files to the FBI and dropped them off to be analyzed. It would be several days before anything could be determined and if there was anything useful in what Mark had gathered. Mark decided he would break into the office over the weekend and see what Charles had in his office. He was getting worried that his cover might have been blown by the robbery and he didn’t want to take a chance of being discovered.

Mark was an expert at picking locks, it was part of his FBI training so it didn’t take long for him to enter Charles office Sunday morning. He found Charles file cabinet and opened it. Finally this was what he was looking for, all the false deeds and the contact at the recorder’s office, the escrow officer that was on the payroll and falsifying documents, the whole package. Mark spent the next three hours making copies of the incriminating evidence, and he thought to himself, these people were going down. Mark finished and locked everything back up and brought the evidence to the bureau. The only thing lacking was a firm tie-in to the mob back east. There were references, but nothing solid they could use in a court of law, these people were careful.

Monday came and Cecilia went to Charles office with the information that someone had been in the file cabinets. Charles figured he knew who it was, so he called Mark into his office.

“Bill, I’m disappointed in you. I trusted you enough to leave you alone when we went to lunch and you snooped through the file cabinets. Do you want to tell me what you were looking for?” Charles asked.

Mark was so busted. He was always careful when he searched files, what happened he wondered. These people weren’t dangerous he thought, they were just scam artists. He figured he could lie out of this.

“I’m sorry, Charles, I was just curious and I thought I could learn more so I could be a better salesman.”

“You’re not to go in those files again, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes Charles.” Mark groveled.

“Oh and one other thing, if you think you will be able to use any of that stuff, I want you to remember something. The money I gave you last week was part of an illegal deal so you’re implicated in it now. You will go back to prison if anything happens.”

Mark left Charles’ office thinking to himself, what a prick, he thinks I’ll go to jail if anything happens to him, boy is he going to be surprised.

Tuesday was uneventful for Mark, he called Mialing and confirmed his undying love for her and pretty much called it a day.

Wednesday found Mark trying to sell property again. The man Mark had noticed when he first started working here was back talking to Charles. As the talked they would glance at Mark. Now he knew, they were on to him. He was going to have to end the charade. What he wasn’t sure of though was whether or not they knew he was FBI. His cover was perfect, there was no way it would lead them to the bureau, maybe they were afraid he would blackmail them, but there wasn’t enough information in the discovered files for them to worry about, man I wish I was a fly on the wall right now, he thought.

It’s too bad he wasn’t, because he would have been very interested in what was being said.

“Charles, I’m glad you called me about this problem,” said Byron.

Byron was the stranger from back east and he didn’t like Bill, there was something about him that made him uneasy. He had been around criminals for years, sleazy ones and violent ones, but Bill put him on edge.

“I had to Byron, I think he might want to try extortion with us. He probably thinks he can scare us.”

“How much knowledge does he have about the operation?”

“He can’t have much, the files he did see were pretty innocent. My office was locked when we were gone and the lock’s a hard one to pick so I know he didn’t go in there.”

“I think we should get rid of him anyway. I told you the first day he was here that I didn’t like him, better safe than sorry.”

“It’s your call, I’ll go along with what ever you think is best.”

“I say kill him, that way there’s no problem. I’ll call an exterminator and see what he can do for us. Do you know where he lives? We don’t want anything to happen around here or we might draw attention to ourselves.”

“I don’t know where he lives. He mentioned some dive hotel but not where it was. It has to be in the bad part of town, so if he’s killed it’ll look like a robbery gone bad.”

“Good thinking.”

Byron made the call and talked to his hit man and made the arrangements.

“Okay Charles, it’s done. My guy will follow him home to learn where he lives and then he’ll off him the next day.”

“I hate to do this, I kind of like the guy but if he’s a danger to the operation it’s for the best.”

Mark finished the day and went home. He used public transit because he was supposed to be too poor to own a car. The hit man followed him home and learned where Mark was staying. Little did the hit man know that because of his training Mark could feel something wasn’t right as the hit man followed Mark in the shadows. Mark arrived at the hotel and went up to his room. The hit man asked the clerk which room the man that just entered, rented, after slipping him twenty dollars. The man got the number and left, knowing he would be waiting for Mark when he got home.

Mark knew something was going on so he called his contact.

“Johnson’s Appliances.”

“This is Mark Conrad.”

“How’s it going Mark?”

“Not so good, I think they’re on to me, I should probably come in.”

“Hold on, let me ask the supervisor if that would be okay.”

There was a pause and Mark wondered if they had enough to bust the group, if they had then Mark would be arrested with the rest of the employees so as not to blow his cover, and then he could go home to Mialing and move in with her, God he missed her.

“Mark, I talked to the super and he agrees. They will take down the operation the day after next, so you only have to live in that flea infested hole for two more days.”

“Thank God, that place is such a hole. I hate having to share a toilet all the time and you can forget about taking a shower, the floor has green scum all over it. Maybe we can take the owners of that place down too. There must be a law against renting places like that.”

“I’ll talk to the boss maybe we can hit that joint at the same time, you know a two for one offer.”

“Yeah, that would be a kick, see you in a couple of days.”

What Mark didn’t know was that if it was up to Charles and Byron, he wouldn’t be seeing anyone ever again, they would see to that.

Mark went to his favorite restaurant again and ordered the meatloaf. At least they did a good job on that. Sally the waitress liked when Mark came in for dinner. He wasn’t like most of the other diners that frequented the café, he was polite and fun to talk to.

“Having the meatloaf again Bill?”

“Yeah I guess, I’ve only had it twice this week,” he laughed.

Mark liked Sally. She was a sweet girl, kind of cute and had a really nice personality. He could tell she had a great figure even with her uniform on and he wondered why she worked in a place like this, she could work in a nicer restaurant and get much better tips, she must have some history, maybe drugs, he wondered. Mark would have asked her out if it hadn’t have been for Mialing. They weren’t married and yet he didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize what he had with her.

Sally also liked Mark, she was sure he knew that, God she had hinted enough to him that she would like to go out with him, maybe he was gay, she didn’t know.

“Here’s your gourmet delight, Bill,” she said as she put the plate down. She looked at him and decided not to wait for him to make a move on her, she would be the aggressor.
“Bill, when are you going to ask me out?”

Mark was taken off guard, “Uhh, I didn’t know you wanted to go out with me.”

“I dropped enough hints to write a book, you’re not gay are you?”

“Good grief no, it’s just that I already have a girl friend.”

“I never see you with her.”

“She lives in Las Vegas.”

“Then take me out, she’ll never know.”

“I’d feel guilty.”

“I just want to go out and have some fun, not go to bed, come on, please?” Sally pleaded.

“Okay Sally, you win, when?”

“After I get off of work?”

“Okay, I’ll see you after you get off, where do you want me to meet you?”

“I live in an apartment upstairs from here, meet me at nine-thirty.”

“What should I wear?” asked Mark.

“Come as you are. I have to change, I don’t want to go out in my waitress uniform.”

“Come on Sally, I’ve always been partial to women in uniform.”

“Bill, you’re silly,” laughed Sally.

Mark finished his meal and walked home. He felt flattered that Sally wanted to go out with him and yet he felt guilty, as though he was cheating on Mialing. Another reason he had agreed to see Sally was the tension of his job and knowing that he was being targeted as a threat to the organization he was working for, he never knew if he would be alive from day to day and what harm could come from an innocent date?

***

Mialing was enjoying her new friendship with Sarah and Marlene. It was nice to interact with other women without everything revolving around men. They would talk about fashion and where to find the best prices, things that women with responsibilities talked about. It made her feel more like a mature woman rather than the sex object she projected in the casino.

“Mialing, can you find someone to take your shift tonight? Marlene and I want to go dancing and it would be even more fun if you came along,” said Sarah.

“I thought you were married?” asked Mialing.

“I am, we just want to go out and have some fun for a change. All we’re going to do is dance.”

“I think I can get Brenda to cover for me, she owes me a favor. What time do you want to go?”

“We can leave around seven and get something to eat. When we’re finished it should be around nine so it will be about right for dancing, I’ll pick you up.”

“Okay, see you then,” said Mialing.

Mialing called Brenda and told her something had come up and she needed her to cover for her. Brenda said she would since Mialing had covered for Brenda many times before.

Mialing went and took a bath. She wanted to have fun tonight and decided a bubble bath would put her in the mood for fun. She washed her hair knowing it would take a while to dry. There are some disadvantages to having hair as long as Mialing’s and one of them is the upkeep on it, but the advantages far outweigh that. She loved the way it would swing back and forth when she walked and the attention it caused with men. Having hair that long was one of the sexiest things a woman could do.

Mialing exited the tub and wrapped her towel around her self and went into her bedroom. What to wear, she wondered. Shall I be proper or should I let my hair down so to speak and dress a little sexy. Mialing’s outlook had changed about men ever since she and Mark had been together. She found that she now liked to flirt with them, even going so far as to wonder what some of them might be like in bed. She no longer felt she had to ignore them, but would actually initiate a flirting session. The only thing she hadn’t done was to go out with anyone yet.

Mialing finished drying her hair and put on a pair black of lacy thong panties and a matching lacy push up bra. Mialing didn’t have large breasts, just a B cup but the bra did wonders with what she had, creating very sexy cleavage. Mialing knew exactly which dress she was going to wear tonight, the one with the neckline that barely covered her bra and had little sleeves that ended just below her underarms The hem stopped at mid thigh and had flirty ruffles starting at her waist and curving around her front and finally going all around the hem. She found a garter belt and sheer charcoal nylons to wear with her black T strap pumps with the four-inch heels. Mialing was going to look hot tonight.

She was just going to start her makeup when the phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Hi honey it’s me, what are you doing?” Mark asked.

“I’m getting ready to go out with Marlene and Sarah. What are you doing?”

“Oh nothing, just hanging out, thinking of you,” Mark said as the guilt’s hit him.

“We’re going to have dinner and go dancing, you don’t mind do you, I’ll behave.”

“I’m sure you will, well, I’d better let you get ready.”

“Are you doing anything tonight, or are you just going to watch television?”

“I’ll just watch TV, well I’ll talk to you tomorrow, I love you.”

“I love you too,” answered Mialing.

Mialing felt good knowing Mark was confident enough about their relationship to trust her to go dancing, he was a wonderful man. Mark on the other hand felt like shit. He had just lied to Mialing about staying home and he was about to go out with Sally, and now he was worried because Mialing would be dancing with another man while he was cheating on her. Maybe he would go to Sally’s and tell her he couldn’t go out with her, it just wasn’t right.

Mialing put on her makeup but unlike her work look, she was going to be bold. She put on three different shadows, lined her eyes and put on three coats of mascara. She lined her lips and added lipstick and gloss. Her dress was lined so she didn’t have to wear a slip so she lowered the dress down over her head and zipped the back. She finished her look with some hoops in her ears, a few bracelets and a necklace with a pendant that drew attention to her cleavage. She slipped on her heels and looked in the mirror to be sure everything was perfect. Everything was perfect, actually more than perfect, Mialing looked like a walking wet dream. Her legs perched on the heels made her legs look as though they went on forever and the sheerness of her nylons said sex. Her soft glowing skin from her breasts to her neck said kiss me and her face and flowing hair were going to make men weak, Mialing was a vision of wanton loveliness.

***

Mark decided to walk to Sally’s to break the date. He was being wary of the situation at work so he pulled a couple of hairs from his head and put them between the door and jamb with the ends sticking out. Unless you knew they were there you wouldn’t see them and if someone opened the door they would fall to the floor and Mark would know someone was in the room.

Sally was a nice girl but he didn’t feel right about going out with her. He just couldn’t do this to Mialing. It was nine-thirty and he knew Sally would be waiting for him. He felt like a heel but he had to do this thing, he had to tell Sally he couldn’t go out with her. He knocked on Sally’s door and heard her heels as she walked down the hallway. Sally opened the door and Mark opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Sally looked hot, actually way beyond hot, Mark wanted to jump her right there when he saw her. Sally didn’t look like Sally the waitress anymore, she looked like the jump my bones right now Sally. Sally was wearing a very short red dress that barely covered her most private part. The neck was cut low enough to barely cover her nipples. She had on four-inch red sandals and no nylons. She liked to tan her self and her legs showed it, they looked hot. Her makeup was done in such a way as to impart sex and her blonde hair was pulled up and back with curls cascading down to her shoulders. What Mark hadn’t noticed when Sally wore her uniform was her figure, the uniform was too loose to really show what she had, but now he saw, God did he see. Sally it seems was a photography model before she went to jail. She was one of those girls that graced the covers of biker and car magazines and was in much demand at one time.

Sally had a very tough life from the moment she was born. Her mother was an alcoholic and her father was in and out of prison more times than she could remember. Sally grew sick of all the bull shit and ran away when she was sixteen. She was living on the streets of New York City when a guy about thirty found her and brought her home with him. It didn’t take long for him to get her in bed and being so young found it flattering that an older man found her attractive. He cleaned her up and noticed what a hot looking girl she was. He had a portfolio made and soon was trying to land modeling jobs for her. Sally had an incredible figure, thirty-four inch hips, a twenty-two inch waist and nice thirty-four inch B cup breasts. Her face was to die for and her natural blond hair made her stand out from other women. There were only two problems, one was that Sally was only five foot one so she couldn’t do runway modeling and secondly her breasts weren’t big enough for the type of modeling she could do. Her boyfriend decided implants were the answer so Sally was soon sporting D cup breasts. With the breasts came work, lots of work, Sally was shooting photo layouts all the time. She would do anything for the camera other than straight out sex. She was becoming tired and wanted to rest but her boyfriend wanted her to keep working so his investment in her would pay off handsomely. That’s when she started on the meth. Soon, she was craving it more than life itself, she had to have it. With the drug came the side effects, the need for sleep, many hours of it and the loss of time, not showing up for a photo shoot and finally the haggard look that the drug induces on a person’s face. Sally lost her modeling jobs but didn’t care as long as she had her drugs. Her boyfriend wasn’t going to put up with some lazy bitch lying around all day so he got her a job in a strip club and she had just turned twenty-one. Because of the drugs, that lasted for a year and then the club manger couldn’t take her tardiness anymore and fired her. Her boyfriend had started selling drugs to make ends meet and was busted by the cops. Unfortunately Sally was home at the time and ended spending a year in jail. Sally reflected on what her life was becoming and after being clean and sober for a year decided to clean up her act. She enrolled in a drug rehabilitation program and took the waitress job just to keep out of trouble. When she felt secure enough she would try modeling again, but for now she just wanted to be Sally, a girl finding herself.

Sally knew what turned men on. She liked Mark, he was different from the other men that came into the café. She could tell he wasn’t a drug user, hell she could spot them a mile away, and there was something else about him, he had a purpose and what he was doing in that neighborhood made no sense. Sally liked what she saw in Mark and to be perfectly blunt, she wanted him, never mind the other girl friend, she was going to do all she could to steal him away from that girl.

“Cat got your tongue?” giggled Sally.

Mark finally composed himself and said, “You look fabulous.”

“Thank you, do you like it?” Sally asked as she turned around to give Mark all the looks he would need to succumb to her advances.

“Like it, when you opened the door I thought I had died and went to heaven. Where do you want to go?” asked Mark as he totally forgot he was going to tell Sally he didn’t want to go out with her. After seeing her, Mialing could have walked by and Mark would have ignored her, Sally was having the impression on Mark she desired.

“There’s a club down the street that’s close enough to walk to. It’s not real nice but it’s fun, you’ll like it.”

“Sounds good to me.”

Sticking bamboo shoots under his fingernails would have sounded good to Mark by the way he was staring at Sally.

Sally grabbed her wrap and then grabbed Mark’s arm pulling it tight against her breast and pulled him out the door. Mark had never met a girl like this, first the visual effect and now her breast rubbing gently against his upper arm as they walked. All this was making Mark wonder if he ever wanted to go back to Vegas.

Mark and Sally entered the club and found an empty table.

“Would you like something to drink?” he asked.

“Just a coke would be fine.”

Mark ordered a coke and a vodka cranberry for himself. He needed a drink to calm down, damn she’s hot, he thought, as he looked at her.

Mark brought the drinks back to the table and asked Sally to dance. The music was fast and soon they were having fun. Mark was getting warm and asked Sally if she wanted to sit for a moment. The couple returned to the table and finished their drinks.

Mark was growing curious about this hot little number he was with and asked Sally about herself.

“Sally, I know it’s none of my business but why do you work at the café?”

“It’s the best place for me right now.”

“You could do much better than that place.”

“It’s comfortable for me, it’s where I want to be.”

“Why?”

“I can’t tell you here, maybe later.”

A slow song came on and Sally grabbed Mark’s hand and pulled him to the dance floor. She put both hands around his neck and pulled him tight against her body. Her breasts pushed firmly against his chest and he could feel them caressing his body. They had a firm softness about them that was making Mark forget about Mialing, he was in another place. He closed his eyes and drifted into Sally’s mind and soul, he wanted this woman, he wanted her as much as he had wanted Mialing. He felt himself becoming aroused against her hip and when Sally felt it she pulled him tighter and moved her hip to increase the pleasure Mark was feeling. Sally knew if she kept this up she would make Mark forget the name of his girl friend and he would be hers.

Mark and Sally had been at the club for a little over an hour but Sally knew her seduction had worked and it was now time to finish the act.

“Bill, I’m getting tired, would you walk me home? If you come up I can tell you more about myself.”

“Sure, let’s go.”

Mark and Sally walked back to Sally’s place and went up stairs. Sally opened the door and stepped inside and closed the door behind Mark. Sally wasn’t going to leave anything to chance, she had Mark where she wanted him, in her apartment, so she turned to him, looked into his eyes, put her arms around his neck and pulled his face down to hers and kissed him. This wasn’t a sweet little kiss, it was deep and loving and full of want. Mark felt Sally’s breasts push against him again and then her lips parted, she wanted his tongue. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and heard her moan, God she was hot. Mark moved his hand to her breast and felt her melt into his body. His penis was becoming erect and Sally pushed her hips against it with a purpose. Sally moved her mouth from his.

“Take me to bed,” she panted. Sally had initiated the seduction but now she wanted Mark to take control, she wanted him to make love to her. Mark picked her up and carried her to her bed and laid her on it. She slipped off her panties and waited for him to remove his clothes. Mark crawled onto the bed and slid his penis into her, there would be no more foreplay. Sally wanted Mark inside her where he could do the most good. Sally felt Mark moving in and out, he penis rubbing her vaginal walls, stimulateing her toward orgasm. It came and she grabbed him and moaned. This stimulated Mark to go faster until he came. He felt as though he had buckets when he did, God this woman is good he thought. Mark held Sally, not wanting to let go, he was having feelings for her.

Sally felt Mark holding her, as he cuddled her. She had never slept with a man that cared for her before and being held by him, they would just roll off afterward and most of the time before she had orgasm. She was falling in love with Mark. Mark finally softened and fell out of Sally but he still held her. Sally finally asked Mark to let her go so she could remove her dress and heels, she didn’t want anything between her and the man she loved. Sally removed her dress and heels while Mark watched. When she was naked he couldn’t believe what a beautiful girl she was, her breasts stood full and proud, her waist was so tiny and her hips so round. She had a soft femininity about her that he had never seen in a woman. He was becoming aroused again.

Sally saw what she was doing to Mark and loved that she was, he’ll never want to leave she thought.

“See something you like sailor?” she giggled. Sally’s giggle was cute, it was fun, and playful, not like Mialings. Mialing’s giggle went to your soul. It made you feel as though she was the only person on earth when she laughed, Sally’s was just fun.

“And what makes you think I see something I like?”

“Because you’re standing at attention,” she laughed.

“Maybe he should stand at ease then.”

“Don’t you dare,” she said as she came to him.

Mark eased himself into her again and then met her lips. They stayed that way until she had orgasm and couldn’t breathe. Mark continued his motion very slowly bringing Sally to orgasm after orgasm. Sally had never had a man pleasure her like this, thinking of her before his own enjoyment and it was having a profound effect on her, she wanted to have his baby, she wanted to marry this man, she never wanted to let him go. Mark started to speed his thrusts and came deeply in the girl he was falling in love with. Mark finished and held his new love as they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Sally woke first as the chill of the night brushed her bare skin. She felt a shiver run through her body.

“Bill, wake up, we have to get under the covers.”

Mark opened his eyes and saw the innocent look on Sally’s face. God she‘s pretty, he thought.

“Bill, it’s cold lets get under the covers.” Sally said.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“It’s three in the morning, we fell asleep.”

“I should go, I have to work in the morning.”

“Stay here, I’ll get you off in time.”

“You make it hard to resist Sally, okay I’ll stay. Get me up so I can go home and change.”

“I will. Bill, I think I love you.”

‘Sally, I’m having feelings for you too, but there are things about me you don’t know about and after I tell you, you might not like me.”

“You’re not married are you?’

“Oh no. I’ve never been married and half the reason is my job, and the other half is that I’ve never met the right girl.”

“What do you mean your job, what are you a hired hit man?” giggled Sally.

“No, just the opposite, I’m with the FBI and my name isn’t Bill, it’s Mark, Mark Conrad.”

“You’re a cop? Why should that make a difference? I was in jail once, does that mean you hate me?” Sally said as a tear fell from her eye.

Mark pulled her to him and held her. Mark was having very strong feelings for this girl and he needed to comfort her.

“I could never hate you Sally, in fact I think I might be falling for you.”

Sally pulled Mark tight. She was feeling something else for this man other than the lust they had earlier, she felt protected. She had never had a man make her feel this way before, all they ever did was fuck her or make her give them blowjobs, but this man wasn’t forcing anything on her, he just wanted her to feel safe. Sally began to cry, she couldn’t control her feelings, she felt like a person again, not some sex object. If she were to lose this man she didn’t know what would happen to her, she couldn’t lose him.

Mark felt Sally crying and just let her be, he knew why she was crying, because he made her feel safe.

Sally turned the lights off and wanted to go back to sleep but as she felt Mark cuddling against her she placed his hand on her breast. She felt comforted when his hand was there. Mark felt his girlfriend’s breast and marveled at how good it felt, soft and sexy but with the smallest amount of sag. He began to caress it and felt her nipple become hard. He too was becoming aroused and soon was fully erect. Sally was moaning as he took her from behind and they made love until they came and found blessed sleep with Mark still deep within her.

***

Sarah picked up Mialing and they drove to get Marlene.

“God Mialing, you look so hot, we’re going to have guys all over us.”

“You look good too Sarah, your husband had better be worried.”

“He could care less, he’s probably doing someone else anyway, the bastard.”

Sarah honked the car horn when they reached Marlene’s house. Marlene’s parent’s had a second home and let her use it until she got on her feet. With three small kids the likelihood of that happening were nil.

Marlene looked good. She kept in shape and despite having three children she had kept her figure. Her dress was off the shoulder and mid thigh in length. It was royal blue in color and hugged her figure like a glove.

“Marlene, you’re going to have to share the guys with us,” laughed Mialing.

“I’ll be lucky to have one dance with you looking like that,” giggled Marlene.

The girls entered the dance club and found a table. This was a nice club in one of the casinos and had a dress code, suits for the men and dresses for the women.

Sarah ordered a white wine as did Marlene and Mialing ordered her customary soda.

Sarah was asked to dance first and then Marlene. Mialing was asked by this hunk of a man and was soon on the dance floor. She danced with him for several dances, all fast. A slow dance started and he swept Mialing into his arms. He pulled her tight against his body with his right arm and held her hand with his left. Mialing’s arm went farther around his shoulder as the dance began. He was several inches taller than Mialing even with her heels on.

“Have you been here before?” he whispered in her ear.

“This is my first time,” she responded.

“What’s your name?” he asked as his lips touched her ear.

“Mialing.”

“That’s a very pretty name, where are you from?” he asked as his lips caressed her ear.

Mialing was getting flustered, the movement of their bodies against each other was causing Mialing to feel aroused, her nipples were becoming engorged and now the caressing on her ears was doing something to her that only Mark had made her feel, lust.

“I’m from Hong Kong,” she whispered, barely able to speak.

“I’ve always wanted to visit Hong Kong, maybe some day. What do you do?”

“I’m a blackjack dealer,” she said as she began to quiver. Mialing’s inexperience with men was showing and she was easily being seduced.

“I’d better sit down for a minute,” she said. She had to gain control off herself.

The man escorted Mialing to her table and then asked her if she would like to join him at his. He didn’t want to lose this girl, she was by far the most beautiful woman in the room and God was she hot, if she was this easy already, I know I can get her in bed.

“I’ll have to ask my friend’s.”

“I can wait.”

He wasn’t going to go anywhere and lose the girl, not a chance.

Sarah returned first.

“Sarah, this is, I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“How rude of me, I’m Bradley Morgan and we came over here to see if it would be alright if Mialing joined me at my table.”

“Of course, run along Mialing, we’ll let you know before we go.”

Now Mialing didn’t know what to do, Sarah had as much as told her to go with Bradley and she was afraid to go with him. She didn’t like losing control and yet he made her feel so good, she should be all right, she thought, just stay in control.

Bradley escorted Mialing to his table and asked her what she would like to drink.

“Just a soda will be fine,” she answered.

The drinks arrived and Bradley wanted to know more about this princess.

“How long have you lived here?” he asked.

“I’ve lived in Vegas for four years. I lived in Reno before that.” She replied.

“You speak very good English, where were you educated?”

“In Hong Kong. I went to a catholic school and everyone speaks like this.”

“Did you know you have a British accent, it’s very sexy.”

Mialing blushed when he said that. Why is he affecting me so, she wondered.

“Actually you sound like you have and American accent to me,” giggled Mialing.

Bradley felt his penis twitch when Mialing giggled, God is she sexy he thought.

“Do you feel rested enough to dance again?” he asked.

“I thought you would never ask,” she purred.

This girl was driving Bradley crazy with lust. She would speak and her voice was like an aphrodisiac to him, he had to seduce her.

The dancing began anew with Mialing and Bradley dancing their best. All the songs were fast so things were light hearted and Mialing began to trust Bradley and she did like to be with him.

A slow song began to play and Bradley swept Mialing into his arms. This time however he let go of her hand and placed both arms around her waist and pulled her tight. Mialing saw other girls in this predicament and put both her arms around his neck. Bradley pulled Mialing tight enough to feel her breasts against his chest and let the rhythm of the dance make their bodies rub softly together. Mialing could feel her nipples getting hard and the sexual tension building in her body. She was becoming flushed, and then she felt it, Bradley was becoming aroused. Before she had met Mark, she would have run from the dance floor, but now, she liked what she was doing to this man, having the power to make him hard, to make him want her and much to her concern make her want him. Mialing was losing control and didn’t even know it and when Bradley kissed her she pulled him tight and kissed back. The kiss lasted for several seconds and when the couple broke it Mialing looked into Bradley’s eyes and saw something she had only seen in Mark’s, the longing to mate with this girl. Mialing pulled Bradley’s lips to hers and kissed him deeply allowing her lips to part and take his tongue deep in her mouth. The song had ended and they finally parted when they heard applause for their show of love.

Bradley bowed but Mialing blushed, she was embarrassed. She had never been seen kissing in public before and she turned scarlet with the attention.

“Walk with me?” Bradley asked.

“I’d like that,” Mialing responded.

The couple walked outside into the desert night and through the hotel gardens. There was a soft breeze caressing Mialing’s neck and hair.

“You have the most beautiful hair I’ve ever seen.” said Bradley.

“Thank you,” Mialing said as she blushed with the compliment.

The couple had been holding hands the whole time they had been walking. Bradley turned and lowered his lips to Mialing’s and kissed her. Mialing pulled Bradley tight to her and her lips yielded to his tongue. This kiss lasted for minutes and when they broke for air they started all over again. Mialing liked what was happening to her, she was being seduced and when Bradley’s hand found her breast she was his. She wanted him right now, she wanted him inside her so she reached for the erection in his pants and took it in her hand.

“I want you Bradley,” she gasped.

“My room is in the hotel, I’ll take you there.”

“I have to tell my friends that they can leave without me.”

“Okay.”

The couple found Sarah, and told her Mialing didn’t need a ride home. Sarah gave Mialing a hug, knowing what Mialing was going to do.

Mialing took Bradley’s hand and followed him to his room.

Bradley opened the door for Mialing and she entered. Mialing felt fear and yet her lust for this man overcame her fear. Mialing wanted this man.

Bradley closed the door and swept Mialing into his arms covering her with kisses. The feel of Bradley’s lips on her neck and face were making Mialing want him that much more. His lips finally met hers and she parted hers to receive his tongue. Bradley’s hand found Mialing’s breast and caressed it with loving touches. His other hand found the zipper to her dress and slid it down until it stopped. He reached back up and unfastened the eyehook, which allowed Mialing’s dress to slip from her body. His hand caressed her now bare skin sending shivers up Mialing’s spine. Bradley was a very accomplished lover and knew how fast he should move to finalize the lovemaking. His hand found the catch on Mialing’s bra and soon her breasts were free of their confinement. Bradley lowered his mouth to suckle her nipples. When he did this Mialing begged him to penetrate her.

“Please take me Bradley, please,” she moaned.

Bradley led her by her hand to the bed and lowered her onto it. He removed his clothes and lay next to her, kissing her gently on her neck while he caressed her breasts with his hand, Mialing moaned with each kiss and rolled onto her back inviting Bradley to enter her. Bradley rolled over on top of her and with a well-practiced motion slowly entered her. Bradley was larger than Mark and Mialing felt discomfort as he buried himself inside of her. Bradley felt the girl tense when he entered her and stayed still until she could adjust to his size. As he felt Mialing relax he began to move very slowly not wanting her to have discomfort. Mialing had stretched enough to enjoy the invasion and lifted her hips to help Bradley gain more depth. Bradley knew from practice that he could now increase the in and out motion.

Mialing was on fire and as she wrapped her legs around Bradley’s back she had orgasm and pulled him into her as deeply as she could. Bradley was an expert at this and knew he would be able to bring her off several more times before he too would be satisfied. Bradley was amazed at the fire within Mialing. She held him and met his thrusts. She was an incredible lover. Bradley finally came and collapsed on the most satisfying woman he had ever fucked. Mialing couldn’t stop from moving her pussy against the man, his penis felt so good inside of her. Bradley went soft but didn’t fall out. The couple just lay together and held each other not wanting what they had done to end. Mialing loved the way this man had made her feel and she wanted more. She began kissing his lips and then moved herself slowly so as not to have him fall out of her. Bradley felt this caressing of his penis and it began to harden once again. Mialing was in control now and she liked being able to affect a man like this. She rolled Bradley onto his back and sat up on top of him and started to grind her vagina on his penis. Bradley had been in this position before but no one had done to him what Mialing was doing to him. The feelings he was getting from her was beyond description. Mialing kept this up for fifteen minutes knowing when Bradley was about to cum and then would stop and then bring him back to that point until he exploded inside of her. Mialing had learned what she could now do with her sex organ with a man and control him like a puppy, Bradley was lost and Mialing was on top of the world. She had discovered sex with Mark and Bradley had brought her to a new level of enjoyment and now she had learned how a woman could control a man and have him completely under her spell. Mialing felt like the happiest woman in the world.

***

Mark heard the alarm clock Sally was nice enough to set. He opened his eyes and wondered where he was then remembered Sally. He had fallen out of her and rolled over onto his back. Sally had rolled over and her hand was resting on his chest, She looks so innocent when she sleeps, he thought, I could get used to being here. Mark rose and went to the bathroom t take care of business. Sally moaned when he left her. She opened her eyes and saw Mark was missing from her bed. She started to panic until she heard the toilet flush. Mark opened the door and walked back to her bed and kissed her good morning.

“Good morning sweetheart,” he said. After the previous night Mark was opening his heart to someone other than Mialing and he was feeling conflicted. He had cheated on Mialing and yet for some reason he didn’t feel that bad about it, he really liked this girl.

“Mmm, good morning,” she purred.

“I have to get going, I’m supposed to be at work in an hour and I still have to shower and change my clothes,” he responded.

“We could shower here together,” the little minx stated.

“I’ll lose my job if we do, I’ll never leave you if we do.”

“That’s the idea,” she laughed.

“I’ll see you after work at the café and then we can see where this is going,” he said.

“You can move your things here and get out of that hole, it’s much cleaner.”

“Maybe I will, I’d like that.”

Mark left and went to his hotel to change for work He checked the door and the hair was still where it belonged. He entered his room and grabbed a towel so he could shower. He had to remove the evidence of the previous nights lovemaking before he dressed for work. He dressed and hid his Glock under the bed and attached his twenty-two to his leg and placed his hair alarm in the door and went to work.

He arrived just on time knowing that this was his next to last day on the job because tomorrow the FBI would raid the place. He conducted his business as usual but couldn’t stop thinking about Sally and how she had moved Mialing aside in his heart. He loved Mialing but now there was conflict and he wasn’t sure what he wanted anymore. He was supposed to move in with Mialing and yet now he wasn’t sure he wanted too. He had to find his way and couldn’t if he were to live with Mialing. He wanted both of these women and wasn’t sure of what he should do. He really didn’t know either one of them since all he did was have great sex with each of them. He knew both girls were extremely vulnerable, and needed to have someone to guide them, but could he, crap, he was always on assignment somewhere, he had to think.

His day ended and he returned to see Sally and then go to his room and pack things up for his move to Sally’s. He wouldn’t be staying long, a week at the most until all the paperwork was done on the case, but he might as well be with her rather than stay alone.

Mark opened the door to the café and Sally looked up and smiled. Her smile was one of those I love you smiles, not a, hi, new customer smile, but one that said I missed you all day and when we get home you’re going to get the biggest kiss.

“Hi,” she said, “How was your day?”

“To long, I missed you today.”

When Mark said that she wanted to hug him but because she was at work she touched the back of his hand. In her previous relationship all she ever heard was give it up, I’m horny and never, I missed you. It was always a relationship where the guy would take and she would have to give, especially after the meth started, then she would have to give just to get her hit on the pipe. Now she had been clean and sober for over a year and when Mark said things to her she felt special. Mark, knowing what kind of hell she was coming from wanted nothing more than to make Sally feel like special woman. Mark was a special kind of man.

“I missed you too.”

“Do you want to eat anything, or do you want to wait until I get home and I’ll fix something for you.”

“You shouldn’t have to do that, not after working all day.”

“I don’t mind,” she said as she mouthed, I love you, to him.

Mark felt like a schoolboy again with this girl, she was so giving, she didn’t hold anything back, her heart was an open book, God he was lucky.

“You talked me into it, I’ll see you when you get off of work. I’ll go get my things and move them to your place.”

“I’ll see you at nine,” she said as she beamed her biggest smile at him.

Mark left the café and felt like skipping down the street, this girl made him feel so special. She’s so sweet and caring, so much like Mialing, shit, Mialing. Mark hadn’t called her yet for some reason he didn’t want to this evening, he was moving in with Sally, just until his assignment was done and he felt guilty. If I call her she’ll know that I cheated on her and if I don’t, what do I tell her then? Mark was in a quandary, he loved Mialing and he had feelings for Sally. He wasn’t sure if it was love yet but his head was swimming with all kinds of thoughts. Who do I choose, or do I just date both girls and decide later? Sally’s so giving and open, I know there is nothing she wouldn’t do for me. Mialing’s a different girl, quiet and hard to get to know, there’s a mysterious quality about her, but when she does give of herself you know it’s from the heart and that she really gave of herself more so than most women would. Both girls are beautiful to look at, Sally with a sexy girl next door look and Mialing’s a girl who carries herself in such a classy way that one were to think she was royalty. Mark decided to call Mialing before he got to his hotel.

“Hello,” answered Mialing.

“Hi honey, it’s me,” said Mark, “How was your wild night out with the girls?”

Mark had no idea of how wild it had been for Mialing, if he knew he wouldn’t have felt guilty for moving to Sally’s apartment.

“We had a good time, what did you do?” Mialing answered, as she turned red with guilt.

“Nothing much, you know, just watched TV and went to bed,” he said, well at least the last part wasn’t a lie, he just left out the part about Sally.

“When are you coming home?”

“In about a week and a half. We’re raiding the place tomorrow and then I have some things to clean up and then I’ll be home.”

“Okay sweetheart, call me tomorrow, I love you.”

“I will, I love you too,” Mark said, as he felt like shit for saying so.

***

Mark reached his hotel and went up to his room. As he placed the key next to the lock he noticed the hair was missing. His stomach turned a somersault when he saw the missing hair. Luckily he hadn’t pushed the key into the cylinder to warn the man inside of his presence. Mark was angry that he hadn’t brought the Glock but he still had the twenty-two strapped to his leg. He pulled his cuff up and took the weapon in his hand. He pulled the hammer back and pushed the key into the lock and turned the cylinder, releasing the dead bolt. The dead bolt was all that held the door shut as the hotel was too cheap to invest in a latch handle too. Mark’s room was laid out in such a way that when the door opened, it opened in, from left to right and was on the left side of the room as you entered. Mark knew from training that the man would be standing either directly behind the door or the near right corner just down from the door so Mark wouldn’t see him when he pulled the trigger. The man didn’t know Mark was FBI and didn’t expect what was about to happen. Mark kicked the door open and did a forward roll through the door past the end of the bed. Mark heard the man’s gun fire a round and the bullet sing by his ear. He landed and turned his gun in the direction of the corner and fired off two rounds. The assailant’s gun was much louder, probably a 357, than the relatively quiet twenty-two. The man went, “argh” as he was hit in the shoulder of his gun hand. This threw the gunman’s aim off as he fire off two more rounds and fled the room. Mark shot once more hitting the man’s leg as he ran through the door. The man ran down the hallway leaving a trail of blood. Mark wanted to follow the man and capture him but the accurate range for the twenty two was only about ten yards before you were guessing where the bullet would go and he didn’t want some innocent person getting shot. The man stumbled down the stairs and into his car and sped away. The hotel manager had called the police when he heard the gun shots and sirens were screaming as the police cars stopped in front of the hotel.

“Where did the gunshots come from?” asked the first policeman.

“From the second floor, in the back.”

The cops pulled their weapons and carefully climbed the stairs to the second floor.

“Police, throw out your weapons,” the officer shouted.

“I have two and I’m FBI,” answered Mark as he threw both of his guns into the hallway.

“Come out of the room with your hands behind your head.”

Mark knew the drill, the police didn’t know if he really was an FBI agent so he did as they said. The police ran to Mark and pushed him to the floor and handcuffed him. The officers brought him back into his room to find out what happened.

“Do you want to tell us your name?”

“Mark Conrad.”

“Tell us what happened.”

“I came home and knew there was someone in my room and since I’m undercover I can’t tell them I’m FBI, so I unlocked the door and kicked it in, and did a roll as I entered. He fired off a round and I only had my backup pistol and fired back. I hit him in the shoulder and he fired off two more rounds and ran out the door. I shot at him one more time and hit his leg before he cleared the door and then that’s when you came.”

“What did the guy look like?”

“He was around six feet tall and looked like he was German or Austrian. He had a moustache and light brown hair and was wearing jeans and a dress shirt, with a jacket over the top and that’s about all I can tell you.”

“You say you’re FBI, can you collaborate that?”

“Yes, call this number, they’ll answer ‘Johnson’s Appliances,” tell them who you are and that you have me and need to know if I’m telling you the truth and then I need to talk to them.”

The policeman called the number and talked to Mark’s contact. In the meantime another officer called his station to have them make sure Mark’s contact was real. When both officers heard he was telling the truth they released the handcuffs.

“Thanks guy,” Mark Said.

“Sorry we had to do that but you know the procedure.” said the officer.

“No problem, I would have done the same thing,” Mark responded. “Look it’s getting late and I was supposed to be somewhere a half of an hour ago, I’m moving out of this hole so I’ll grab my things and then the room is all yours.”

“CSI should be here any minute, your going to have to leave the gun you used as evidence, but since you didn’t use the Glock you can take it with you, I’d hate to be you and not have some kind of protection.”

“Thanks guys.”

***

Mark packed his things and carried them to Sally’s apartment. He rang her number and she buzzed him up.

Sally opened her door for Mark. He could tell she had been crying.

“Sally, honey, what’s wrong?”

“I thought you had changed your mind about coming here.”

“I wouldn’t do something like that without telling you first. I had a problem at the hotel, someone tried to shoot me.”

“Oh Mark, are you alright?” Sally said as she ran to Mark’s arms.

“I’m fine, the other guy isn’t though, I got him twice.”

Sally started trembling and held Mark tighter, “That could have been you,” she said.

“I’m fine honey, really.” Mark said.

“I don’t know what I would do if I were to lose you,” Sally said as she dissolved into tears. Sally was just gaining control of her life and now she had found a man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with and he was almost killed because of his job, she was in hysterics.

“Baby, I’m alright, really, please calm down, please.”

Sally finally gained control of her emotions and looked up at Mark and said, “Kiss me.”

Their lips touched and the feeling of love passed between Mark and Sally. The kiss lasted for a moment before they parted. There wasn’t the feeling of lust when they did, just the relief that they had each other, they were in love.

***

The next day the raid went down as planned. Mark didn’t participate because they had to make Bill Jepson disappear. The ambush was the perfect ruse to attain that goal. The agents arrested every one at the business when the raid went down. Mark was in the office talking to Jason Willard the man who had invented Bill Jepson and given him an identity.

“I’ll tell you Jason, I thought this assignment was going to be a walk in the park, but when that guy almost killed me, I was thanking you to high heaven for the identity you gave me.”

“It was easy Mark, at least they didn’t hurt you and after the news paper comes out with your death reported you should be okay.”

“How long have you been doing this identity thing anyhow?”

“I guess it’s been around eleven or twelve years now. I started back in Colorado and worked there for ten years and got tired of small city living and transferred to Chicago, best move I ever made.”

“You worked in Colorado, one of my first cases ended up there, a guy named Tommy Wong. He was a mean prick, killed I don’t know how many men. We gave him immunity and he went back there for relocation. I couldn’t believe the things he told us. From the look of him you’d think he was just some quiet Chinese kid but after what he told us, he was scary.”

“Did you say Tommy Wong? I remember a Tommy Wong, God what a screw up that was. Poor son of a bitch comes to us for protection and almost gets killed. Some bastard from the gangs infiltrated the bureau and tried to kill Tommy. Yeah, it’s coming back now, Tommy took off, I couldn’t blame him after what had happened. We killed his assailant but Tommy didn’t know and he took off running. We didn’t hear from him for over a year and then one day he shows up at our door, dirty and cold. He asks us if we can make him disappear. The first time he was here we had the perfect setup for him. He had learned his new identity and everything, all he had to do was testify to the jury and he would have disappeared. We thought we had our shit together with this one, but I guess we didn’t. He told us that he had been found and the gangs tried to kill him back in New York, he was lucky to get away, at least he trusted us enough to come back.”

“What happened then, I heard from a friend of his that he was dead?”

“I guess you could say that since Tommy Wong doesn’t exist anymore, not with his new identity.”

“Where did you relocate him to?”

“I don’t know where he went, after we finished with him he left and disappeared. He was the most expensive remodel the agency ever did.”

“How’s that?”

“Well he came back that night and asked if we could make him disappear. He said that we had to change his appearance or he was dead. We owed him big time for what he had done for us. All the information that he gave us was invaluable. We never went to trial with it but apparently the gangs took care of the problem for us. Who ever was in charge put the order out and all the parties that Tommy told us about were executed. We think this goes all the way up into the Chinese government but after Winston Chang was killed the trail stopped. We figured though that there were still people looking for Tommy so we agreed to help him become a new person. You know how Tommy had those eyes, well even if we were to relocate him to bum fuck Egypt someone would recognize him so we did the only thing that made sense, we made him into a woman.”

“A woman?”

“Yep, a woman. Boy was he pissed when we told him what we were going to do. He said no way, but after we explained that it would be the only way for him to disappear he finally agreed to it. It took a ton of work and money, but like I said we owed it to him. We had the finest doctors and surgeons for everything. We started him on hormones and while they did their work we taught him his new identity. After about six months we gave him breast implants and then the serious work started. We had to feminize his face, what a bitch of an operation that was. They had to peel his face back and shave his skull and then they did his nose and chin. He was bandaged up for weeks and when the bandages did come off it looked as though someone had beat the crap out of him. While he was under they shaved his Adam’s apple and tightened his vocal cords. The first time I heard him speak after the operation I couldn’t believe it was Tommy, his voice was like music, when I heard it, it freaked me out. The hormones had given him curves and with the implants he was looking hot. We gave him electrolysis and the more we trained him the more like a woman he became. The last thing was the big operation. He was already freaking out about what we had done to him and after we finished making him a woman, he almost had a break down. It was about three months after the final operation that he finally got to see the finished product in the mirror. I remember that day as if it were yesterday.”

“There were three of us in the room with him, his nurse, his surgeon, and me.”

“Tommy we’ve finished all that we can do with you, the rest is up to you. We want you to see what we have done and explain to you what you must do so certain things aren’t undone. Stand in front of the mirror and I think you will be surprised, you look wonderful,” said the surgeon.

“Tommy walked to the mirror and waited for the nurse to remove the blanket covering it.
When the blanket dropped Tommy gasped.”

“Meet the new you Tommy, what do you think?” asked the surgeon.

“Tommy was staring at the reflection. Looking back was this creation of beauty that any man would give his right arm for. There was a look of horror on his face and then he started to cry, imagine, Tommy Wong crying.”

“Why are you crying, Tommy?” asked the surgeon.

“I’m crying because when I saw myself in the mirror, I felt like I was getting an erection and then I looked down and there was nothing there. I wanted to make love to myself. All I could think of was, what a beautiful girl that is, and then, it hit me, I’m that girl, I don’t want to be a girl like that, I just wanted to disappear.”

“When I first saw the completed Tommy, I couldn’t believe how pretty he was, his hair was just touching his shoulders and his figure was soft and round in all the right places and his face, God he was so God awful pretty. Those eyes were haunting, I fell into the depths of them and to be perfectly honest, I think I fell in love with Tommy that day. Here was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen standing naked in front of me and I had helped create her. To say I was getting excited would be an understatement, I had wet dreams about that girl for months afterward, and when she left the compound it broke my heart. I knew she was once a man but after we finished with her there was no way I could have ever considered her as being a man, she was just too beautiful. She had been training to make all her movements feminine and now everything she did said woman.”

“Tommy the phenomenon you described is called the phantom limb syndrome. It’s very common for amputees to feel things with a hand that had been cut off even though the hand is gone. The nerves to the limb remain and the brain still sends signals to the limb as though it’s still there. That feeling will go away eventually but for now it’s something you’re going to have to live with.”

“What about me though, I still feel like a man, I look in the mirror and I want to do me, when will I feel like I look?”

“That’s hard to say, maybe never or maybe next week, that’s up to you. The hormones you’re taking will help you feel more like a woman over time, but whether you will feel completely like one is anyone’s guess. I’d suggest that you see a therapist when you leave here to help you come to terms with yourself.” the doctor said.

“I’m sorry doctor, but I don’t like any of this just yet, isn’t there anything you can do?”

“I’ve done everything I could do, I made you into a person that won’t have to look over your shoulder all the time wondering when someone would shoot you. Try to come to terms with yourself Tommy, it’ll make life much easier.”

“The nurse looked at Tommy and said, “You’re very lucky to be so pretty Tommy but if I were you I would pick a different name, calling yourself Tommy doesn’t help you accept who you are now.”

“I’ll have to think of a name, I don’t know if I can do that just yet.”

“That’s when I said, “Tommy try to pick one soon because I have to invent a whole new life for you including birth certificates and citizenship papers. There will be a lot for you to learn before you leave here.”

““Tommy, let’s get you dressed, you’ve given these men enough of a thrill for today,” said the nurse as she glared at me.”

The nurse wrapped the blanket around Tommy and led her away so she could get dressed. I didn’t see Tommy for several days and then he asked me to come to his room. Tommy was wearing makeup and had her hair styled. She was wearing a blouse and a pair of shorts. I couldn’t help staring at her legs. They had become so soft and shapely from the hormones and hadn’t noticed before because she had always been wearing Tommy’s clothes but now, I was getting an erection just being with her. She was so sexy and didn’t even know it, I had to get my mind elsewhere.

“Hi Tommy, how are you feeling?” I asked.

“I’m feeling fine, Jason and I finally decide on a name for myself, Mialing.”

“What a pretty name, how do you spell that, M-Y-L-I-N-G?”

“No, M-I-A-L-I-N-G, do you like it?” Tommy asked in a voice that was begging for approval.

““Tomm, oops, I mean Mialing, it’s a very pretty name. It fits a woman as pretty as you,” I said. I didn’t mean anything by what I said but she was that pretty and I couldn’t help myself, she made me feel like a babbling idiot. I’m not a good looking man and talking to a girl as pretty as Mialing was doing funny things to me. The only girls that ever talked to me were the ones nobody paid attention to or were too drunk to see and now I was talking to this gorgeous woman that would make the handsomest man have trouble talking and she was blushing and at a lose for words.”

“Jason, please don’t take this wrong but I don’t like you saying things like that to me. I still feel like a man and it makes me feel like I’m having a gay encounter when I talk to another man. I’ve seen myself and know what’s going through another man’s mind when he looks at me, heck I even feel that way, so please don’t say things like that to me.”

“I’m sorry Mialing, it wasn’t intentional and I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’m supposed to keep this on a professional level and I didn’t, I’m sorry.”

“That’s when she did something that I think surprised her as much as me, she touched the back of my hand and said that she forgave me. I never wanted to wash that hand again.”

“Mialing stayed with us for around a year while she trained and the hormones took effect. When she left us her figure was thirty-three bust a twenty four inch waist and thirty-two inch hips. We knew that she would continue to fill out if she didn’t stop the hormones to probably thirty-four twenty-four thirty-four, a perfect figure.”

“She really never got into the whole female thing, you know makeup and clothing. I think the only reason she did makeup was to please her instructors and the only thing she wore was something loose and usually black in color, a button up blouse and black pants. She never wore skirts or dresses and always flat shoes. She learned how to walk in heels but never wore them by choice. She never showed her legs, the only time I saw them was when she first saw herself and after that she kept covered. It was as though she didn’t want to let go of Tommy. You could tell by her actions that she didn’t want to be a woman, even though everything about her was feminine from her walk to every movement she made there wasn’t anything masculine about her. Occasionally I could tell she had been crying and knew why, she just couldn’t accept being a woman. I felt really bad for her but what had been done to her had to be done or she would have been killed or I should say he would have been killed. I will say though that she really worked hard at being Mialing. Every detail and nuance about her became second nature. She learned everything about her past and never made a mistake when asked about her previous life but you could tell she wasn’t happy. There was always an inner struggle and an outer struggle going on with her. I don’t know if she ever resolved her conflict, Mialing was a wonderful person, but the poor girl was so confused.”

Now Mark was the one in conflict, he had just learned of Mialing’s past and didn’t know how to feel. He loved Mialing, or the illusion of Mialing and yet he wasn’t sure how he felt just now. Mialing used to be Tommy and Tommy was scum. Tommy was also a man and now Mark was in conflict. He loved Mialing more than he had loved any other woman and now he had found out that she had a secret, one that gave him the creeps. Mark wished he had never found out about this secret, he didn’t know what he would say to Mialing now. He had to see her anyway because of the way he felt about Sally, did he love her or Mialing more, who did he want to be with? Now he had found out where Mialing had come from and it was making the choice easy, Sally was the obvious choice, she was caring and sweet and loved Mark without question, and she was a real girl. A real girl, Mark had never even given that a thought, he loved Mialing, but now, God he was so confused, this isn’t right, he still felt the same about Mialing, he still loved her and now he felt perverted about loving her, shit, why me, he thought.

***

Mialing was feeling wonderful after her night out with the girls. She felt some guilt but yet she felt liberated after her night with Bradley, she felt like a woman, a real woman, Mark had made her feel this way first and Bradley only helped push her farther along. It had taken Mialing seven years to find this place in her life, always being afraid or the feeling of being a man make her stop from becoming a woman but now she finally felt free to become the real woman she was.

Mialing was back to dealing cards the next day and the difference was profound. She was enjoying the flirtations of the men at her table and it showed. Before Mark and Bradley she would remain aloof when men made advances, but now it was as though a wall had been taken down, she had become a giggly young girl in love with her femininity, Mialing had finally made that final step to becoming a woman, the man Tommy was finally gone, no more fears, no more ghosts, just the freedom to be a sensual young woman. Mialing was in love, yes somewhat with Mark, but more so with the femininity she had discovered, she was finally free to explore what she had tried so hard to bury these last seven years, being the beautiful woman she was.

Mialing went on break and sat with Sarah.

“Sarah, let’s go shopping tomorrow before we have to work,” said Mialing in an excited voice.

“What’s gotten into you, you never wanted to shop?”

“I need some new clothes, all I have are the same old boring things I was always wearing.”

“I have to admit some of your things were pretty boring. These guys you’ve been seeing must have made quite an impression on you.”

“I guess but it’s more than that, I want to dress nicer, maybe even wear a skirt for a change.”

“Well girlfriend, I didn’t even know you had legs until the other night when we went out. You should show them more often, they’re gorgeous.”

“I’ve always felt self-conscious about them, actually about me, I think it had to do with going to that girl’s school in Hong Kong. The only time we showed anything was when we played basketball and even then the boys weren’t allowed to watch.”

“You’re so beautiful it was a shame to keep it covered all the time. I’ll go with you, I’ll see if Marlene might want to go too, although I doubt she can, what with her kids and all, she’s pretty broke.”

“It’ll be fun, I can’t wait.”

The next day Mialing picked Sarah up in her GEO. It was all the car she could afford, and it was cheap. She had bought it used, with low miles on it, and driven by a little old lady from Henderson, originally from Pasadena, at least that’s what the salesman had told her. This being her first car she didn’t question what he had told her and besides she only drove it to and from work and as long as it ran well she was happy. In the past two years she probably hadn’t put more than ten thousand miles on it. It was a boring chick car but she was happy with it.

“Let’s go over to the mall on the north side, I think there are better stores there,” said Sarah.

“I hope so, I’ve been buying my nice things in the south side mall and they don’t have a very good selection and they’re expensive.”

“The mall is like half the price for clothes, we’re going to have so much fun today.”

The girls arrived at the mall and they were on a quest. Normally when Mialing shopped it was for something she had committed to but now it was time to fill her wardrobe with clothes that said, “I’m a young available woman.” No more boring drab clothing for Mialing, other than what she had worn for Mark when they went away for the weekend she had nothing that was fun. Loose fitting and concealing, that was the old Mialing. This was going to change, Mialing had finally become an exciting young woman in search of her femininity.

By the time they left the mall Mialing had loaded her car with tops, scoop neck T’s, tank tops, tube tops, lacy blouses, formal, casual, you name it, she bought it. Next came the shorts, all tiny and all tight, the skirts were short except for the one conservative knee length one as were the dresses, short long she didn’t care as long as they made her look good. Victoria’s Secret was many hundred dollars richer when she left as were the several shoe stores she visited. She bought low shoes and high shoes, sexy shoes and shoes that weren’t quite as sexy but still looked good, after all as much as she wanted she couldn’t wear those four-inch heels all the time.

“God Mialing, how can you afford to buy all this?” asked Sarah.

“I never did anything with my money except save it, so I might as well splurge once in a while,” she giggled.

***

Mialing dropped Sarah at her apartment and returned home to wait for Mark’s phone call. When it didn’t come she began to worry, had something happened to Mark? Did he find out about her infidelity, that would have been impossible but because of her guilt she thought the worst.

Mark could have called but he knew Mialing would have been at work and because of the information he had learned about her, he was reluctant to speak to her fearing that he might say something he would be sorry for later. Mark had to sort things out. He wanted to be with Sally now and yet Mialing still had this strange hold on him, did he still love her or was he just curious now as to how such a beautiful feminine woman could have been Tommy?

Mark called the next day and explained that he had been shot at and had reports to make and that’s why he hadn’t called.

“I’ll be coming to see you tomorrow and I have something to ask you,” Mark said.

“I’ll pick you up at the airport, I love you,” she replied.

“You too,” he answered.

Mialing went to work and couldn’t wait to talk to Sarah and Marlene.

“Mark called and he’s coming tomorrow,” Mialing said excitedly.

“Oow, I bet you guys make up for lost time,” giggled Marlene.

“Stop it Marlene, you know Mialing would never do anything like that,” laughed Sarah.

“Stop it you two, Mark said he has something important to ask me,” said Mialing, “I think he might ask me to marry him.”

“You lucky girl, he sounds like such a nice guy, does that mean you will be leaving us?”

“I don’t know, maybe or we might live here, it’s up to him.”

“Do we get to be bridesmaids?” asked Marlene.

“Of course, who else would I have, you’re my best friends.”

The next day found Mialing at the airport waiting for Mark. He finally appeared behind the security area and waved to Mialing, who waved back. When he emerged from the secured area Mialing ran to him as fast as her four-inch heels would allow. Mialing was wearing some of her new clothing and looked hot. Her blouse was low cut allowing more cleavage to show than she had ever allowed to be seen before and her skirt was short, only coming to mid-thigh. She was wearing panty hose and was made up to perfection. All the guys couldn’t help but wish they were Mark as she threw herself into his arms.

Mialing pulled his lips to hers and gave him a kiss that said I love you and just wait until we get back to my place to see what else you’re going to get. Mialing noticed a certain stiffness to Mark when she kissed him but not where she wanted that stiffness.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” she asked.

“It’s nothing, I guess I’m just tired,” he answered.

The couple walked to Mialing’s car and drove to her apartment.

They entered Mialings apartment and Mialing grabbed Mark and kissed him again, parting her lips and extending her tongue into his mouth and this was getting the reaction Mialing was hoping for, Mark was becoming aroused. Mark on the other hand didn’t want this to happen, he wanted to remain calm and not feel this lust for Mialing but she was winning him over, he couldn’t contain what he was feeling at this moment and allowed Mialing to seduce him. He felt her breasts pushing against his chest and her hand rubbing his growing erection, he was done, he had to have her one more time. He had to feel her soft flesh against his and hear her moan as she was pleasured by his sex. He removed her blouse and bra and lowered his mouth to her breasts, her perfect soft breasts and began to suckle her nipples. When he did he felt her hand become more needy on his erection and then she let go of it and pulled her skirt and pantyhose from her body as she stepped out of her heels. Lastly she removed her panties and pulled his erection into her, she couldn’t even wait for him to take her to the bed. She was groaning as he moved within her and leaned against the wall to keep from falling. Mark felt the tightness of her pussy as he stroked in and out of her and wondered how anything man made could feel so good until he exploded inside this perfect creation of beauty. Mialing was trembling as she came to her second orgasm and wondered why she had waited so long to accept her femininity. Having a man inside of you and doing what Mark was doing was next to heaven she thought and now I hope he asks me to marry him, she thought.

Mark pulled out and tried to come to his senses. He had just made love to Mialing again and he was here to break up with her, how could she have such an effect on him. It must be a perversion he thought, he knew the truth about Mialing and yet he just fucked her and even worse he wanted to do it again. He couldn’t still love her could he, he loved Sally and yet he still wanted to be with Mialing, maybe even more than Sally, he had to get away from this girl before his mind became warped.

Mark took Mialing’s hand and led her to the couch and lowed her down to it. The couch felt cold on her bare rear as she felt it touch the cold leather.

“Mialing, there is something I have to ask you,” said Mark.

Wow, he doesn’t mess around, I hope he’s going to ask what I think he is, she thought.

“Yes,” she responded with a smile.

“Mialing, you told me Tommy was dead, why did you lie to me?”

Mialing turned pale, this wasn’t what she expected, not by a long shot. Okay don’t ask me to marry you but don’t ask me about Tommy either, she thought.

“You promised me that you would never ask me about Tommy again, so why now?”

“Because I know about you and Tommy.”

“You don’t know anything about me or Tommy. I told you Tommy died seven years ago because he did. Tommy’s gone and can never come back,” Mialing said as tears began to fill her eyes and her voice didn’t hide the anger she was feeling toward Mark. “I have to put something on,” she said. She didn’t want to sit naked with Mark just now, she felt nothing but contempt for him at this moment.

Mialing went to her room and put on her robe and came back to talk to Mark. He in the mean time had put his briefs back on.

“Okay Mark, you tell me you know all about me, what do you really know about me?” she asked.

“I know you were Tommy.”

“I was Tommy, what a laugh, do I look like Tommy, well do I?” she asked as her voice rose with anger.

“No,” he answered sheepishly.

“No, I don’t because I’m not Tommy. I’m Mialing not some murdering asshole that died seven years ago. There might be some of his bones left in my body but Tommy died a long time ago. Yes he became me but that’s all. Everything about him is gone and you were the last thing that made him disappear. You have no idea how hard this journey has been for me, do you?” she asked as a tear fell from her eye. Mialing was a beautiful feminine woman and had the emotions of one and try as she may, she couldn’t stop herself from showing just how feminine she had become.

“No,” Mark answered, he was at a loss for words. He had made love to this extraordinary woman and thought he had seen most of her emotions but now he was seeing something else. She was angry and yet she was showing a strength born only from hardship, she had become a real woman and was proud that she was.

“You’re right you don’t know, so I’m going to tell you.”

“When Tommy returned to the facility in Colorado it was the end of the line for him. If he couldn’t disappear he would be dead within a month so the government told him they would help him, after all they did owe him a debt of gratitude. They told him the only disguise that would work for him would be to become a woman. He thought they meant for a while until things calmed down and then he could go back to being a man. They said it didn’t work that way, he would always be a woman or he would be discovered and probably die. He wasn’t sure but agreed to the change. The first thing they did was to start him on hormones. During this time they began femininity training. Tommy hated it because he felt like a little fairy acting all swishy and such. He didn’t realize he had to learn how to become a woman not just look like one. After several months the hormones were starting to take effect and Tommy was becoming very emotional. His training wouldn’t go well and he would cry, can you imagine, Tommy crying?”

“No, I really can’t, he was such a hard person.”

“Well he did and then his breasts started to develop, God that put him over the edge. He was pissed off at everyone all the time, his training was going in the dumper and he wanted nothing to do with being a woman. One of the men took him aside and explained that they couldn’t help him if he wasn’t going to help himself. Tommy finally realized they were right and calmed down to some extent but didn’t like what was happening to him. After three months he was beginning to get a little fleshy in the breast area and they decided they could start to change his appearance. They operated on his face and gave him small breast implants and shaved his larynx. They tightened his vocal cords and then let him heal. You have no idea of what kind of pain he had from all this work and it lasted for months. During this time they kept working on his demeanor and as the hormones worked on his body they also were working on his mind, it was becoming feminine. His movements were becoming second nature to him and his voice was also becoming the one you hear today. Tommy hadn’t seen himself yet and the people decide to wait until the final operation was over so he would only see a woman and the man would be gone, figuring one shock would be all he would need to see. The final operation took place and that one was the worse, not so much the pain but knowing that his sexual organs had been removed or changed in such a way that he would never be a man again. The recovery period was terrible, having to have yourself cleaned everyday so as to prevent infection. Do you have any idea of how violated you feel when you have to open your legs wide and have a nurse clean you out, God it was terrible. After they removed the packing I had to start dilating myself. Tommy was a man and had to fuck himself with this plastic rod several times a day everyday or what was done to him would be undone. Over time it just became work and then they would increase the size of the thing so he would become larger. Tommy asked why it had to be larger and they said that way he could take a man down there. Tommy became so upset he stormed out of the room and stopped dilating for several days and then figured he had better do it or he would close up and have nothing to show for his work. Even after a few days it hurt to start again, both mentally and physically. He had to reduce the size until he was stretched out again and made a promise to never miss a session with the thing. By the time he left the compound he had been able to use the largest size.

It was finally time for Tommy to see the results of the government’s work on him. He had healed from all the surgery and for the most part the swelling had gone down. His breasts had developed more flesh and were almost a B cup in size. They didn’t want to make them too big because they wanted Tommy to look real not like some plastic surgery wonder. They styled his hair and put on his first bit of makeup. They had him stand in front of a covered mirror and dropped the blanket from the surface. When Tommy saw what they had done to him he was in shock, he was beautiful and he felt his nonexistent penis becoming hard and looked down to see nothing, it was gone. Tommy didn’t know whether he should hit something or cry he was so angry, so he looked at himself in the mirror and decided that crying would fit what he saw, girls don’t hit things. After that he was given some clothing to put on and led back to his room.

After several days Tommy calmed down enough to continue his training. Now they started with cosmetics and hair, he had to learn how to make himself presentable. Day after day, makeup on, makeup off, shape your nails, paint both toes and fingers, set your hair wash it out until Tommy learned what to do. It was during this time that he gave in and decided that being called Tommy and looking as he did that he needed a new name. He remembered a girl he had a crush on when he was ten years old in Hong Kong named Mialing and decided to take her name. He liked it because it was so pretty and feminine sounding and very exotic. Mialing was a name you could fall into when you said it, Mialing. Mialing finally learned everything she was going to learn from her teachers and decided it was time to leave. Everyone hated to see her go. She was a sweet girl now, Tommy the punk was gone and had given birth to a woman any man or woman would be proud to call a friend. The government told her they would relocate her in some small town somewhere but she decided to go where she wanted and not be holed up like some criminal. They gave her enough money to live on until she could find a job and take care of herself. She decided to go to Reno and went to gaming school and learned how to work in a casino. She liked the action and soon was dealing blackjack for a club. She liked playing cards for a living but didn’t like the unwanted attention she was getting from men. She was called everything from a prude to a stuck up bitch and she hated being a woman. That changed when she became friends with a dealer named Tiffany.

Tiffany was an older woman and noticed Mialings discomfort with men.

“Why do you feel so distant towards men?” she asked Mialing one day.

“I’ve never had any experience with them,” I answered.

“That’s hard to believe, your so beautiful and all the men I see would love to, well you know, get you in bed.”

“That’s the problem, I don’t feel comfortable around them.”

“You’re not a lesbian are you?”

“No, I just haven’t ever had a sexual experience before.”

“Well honey, it’s time to get you laid.”

“Tiffany,” Mialing cried in shock, that this older woman could be so frank.

“Mialing, I don’t mean for you to just jump in bed with anybody, I mean you should go out on a date. I know just the perfect guy, he’s single and he has perfect manners, I think you’ll like him.”

“I’ve never done this before.”

“I’ll help you, I’ll ask Carl if he’s interested and then if he wants to take you out I’ll help you to get ready. Do you have anything to wear other than the clothes I always see you in?”

“No, this is all I have to wear.”

“Then it’s about time that you went shopping for something decent. I’ve known you for two years and have never seen you wear anything decent, don’t you have anything to wear?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean girl’s clothes, the only thing you ever wear are those loose fitting black pants and that blouse, hell you could be a man under all that and nobody would know, I’m taking you shopping.”

That was the first time I ever went shopping for feminine clothing. Tiffany brought me to a mall and had me try on all kinds of things. At first I was embarrassed but as the day wore on I started to have fun. I had never really worn feminine clothing and I found that I liked it. Tiffany had to bring me to Victoria’s Secret for under wear because the only thing I wore was big old cotton panties. They were fine for what I wore and they weren’t feminine in the least, they could have been men’s underwear except that they didn’t have a fly. I tried on some hip-hugger jeans and they showed and that’s when Tiffany made me buy new underwear. I bought a satin pair of thong panties and put them on and bought a push-up bra to match. When I had both of the undergarments on it was as though something inside of me changed. They were so soft and caressed what little skin they touched with a softness that made me feel like a new person, I felt like a woman. I liked the way I was feeling and couldn’t wait to try on more clothes. I had never worn a skirt or dress before and when I finally put them on I felt free, I had put Tommy to rest. I didn’t buy many things that day, but what I bought was very pretty and very feminine.

I went on the date with Carl and for hours beforehand I worried that he would find me unattractive. I bathed and then primped for hours, I couldn’t seem to get anything right. I don’t know why I was so nervous, I guess it was because this was my very first date with a man. He took me to dinner and was very nice to me and had a hard time keeping his eyes off of me. When I saw myself completely dressed I knew why, I was gorgeous. I had on a white dress that was low enough in front to show my new cleavage and the hem was high enough to show much of my legs. I had on three-inch sandals with an ankle strap and my makeup was sexy looking. My hair wasn’t nearly as long as it is today but it still looked nice. When Carl saw me I thought he would pee his pants. Apparently Tiffany didn’t tell him what I looked like and he thought he was doing her a favor by taking me out. He was a perfect gentleman all night long and could tell he wanted to kiss me goodnight in the worse way but I wasn’t ready for that just yet, so I shook his hand instead. I didn’t think he would let go of mine until I said that I had to get inside. I dated him a couple more times and on our last date he told me how much he liked me and wanted to take our relationship farther. I didn’t know if he meant he wanted to see me exclusively or take me to bed. In either case I wasn’t ready for either one so I let him kiss me goodnight. It was my first kiss from a man and I thought I would be repulsed by it, but I wasn’t, in fact I kind of liked it. It made my nipples get hard and I flushed, I was actually getting excited. I said goodnight and went to bed. It was then that I decided to move to Las Vegas. I was afraid of my feelings and the only way to stop them was to move. I moved the next week.

I took a job where I work today. The only thing different about this job is that I have to wear a skirt and blouse and look good for the players. In Reno I was able to wear my ugly things as long as people played at my table but here things are different. I have to look good and I do enjoy the flirtations that go on with men. I dated a few and had nice dinners and such, even kissed them goodnight but until I met you I had never had sex with a man, you woke a whole new person when you penetrated me the first time, I became a complete woman, before that I was just a pretty shell with nothing inside but then it happened and I was complete. You have no idea how I felt before that act of love, I was lonely and didn’t know why, but after that night I knew, I knew that being a woman had made me the happiest person on earth and being with a man made me complete. Mark, I’ll be honest with you I love you and would follow you to the ends of the earth, but if you can’t find yourself able to look at me and say, “I love this woman more than life itself,” then maybe we shouldn’t be together, I’ll understand, but know this Mark, I do love you more than you will ever know and if you can’t see me as a woman then maybe we shouldn’t be together.”

Mark looked at this beautiful woman and wanted to take her and love her until eternity. God he loved her, she was so open and honest with him and yet that little demon inside of him kept telling him that he would be perverted if he were to be with her.

“Mialing, I’m so sorry, but I can’ be with you right now, I just can’t.”

Tears filled Mialing’s eyes, how could he not want me she wondered, she was a woman and nothing would change that and if he didn’t want her then it would be his loss, Mark was being such a fool. The tears finally fell from her eyes staining her satin robe. Mark went to take her in his arms to comfort her.

“Don’t, please don’t, I want you to leave now, I can’t be with you right now, you’ve hurt me terribly Mark and I hope one day you realize what you lost when you pushed me aside like this. I love you Mark and probably always will but I can’t have you here right now, goodbye,” Mialing said as she rose and went to her bedroom. Mark could hear her crying as he put his clothes back on, he wanted to go to her and beg her to take him back but that little voice wouldn’t let him. Mark left her apartment and found a quiet place to cry.

***

Mark returned to Chicago to tell Sally of his decision. He had called Sally from the airport to let her know he had returned and was on his way to see her. Sally was nervous as to what Mark might have decided. She was deeply in love with Mark and the thought of losing him had been eating at her all week long. She had decided that as much as she loved Mark she would let him go to the other woman if that’s what he chose to do. After all Mark had done for her she couldn’t think of pressuring him to stay with her, she only wanted him to be happy. She heard her buzzer ring and knew it was Mark and with her luck in life knew he would leave her for Mialing.

Sally opened her door and was greeted with a big hug from Mark.

“I missed you so much,” he said.

“I missed you too.”

“I told you I’d be back, let me take you to dinner so we can talk.”

“But I made dinner already, nothing fancy, just meatloaf.”

“You did that for me, Sally, you’re the best, I love you.”

“I love you too Mark, you know that.”

“Sally I need to talk to you about my trip to Las Vegas, a lot of things happened.”

Here it comes thought Sally, he’s going to leave me for that other girl, God why did he have to have her, couldn’t he be with me instead?

“Sally, as much as I loved Mialing, I decided that I want to be with you, you’re the one I really love and I want you to move to San Francisco with me.”

“Mark you want me to go with you?” Sally squealed with delight.

“Yes honey, I do.”

“When, I have to give notice at work and pack up my things, Mark, your not kidding me are you?”

“No Sally, I’m not kidding you, I want you to be with me, I love you.”

“Oh Mark you made me the happiest woman in the world, you won’t be sorry, I’ll make you so happy.”

“Sally you already make me happy, I want to do so much for you, let’s hurry up and get you moved.”

Sally moved with Mark the next week. She really didn’t have much, mainly clothes and a few remembrances, so the move was easy. They settled into Mark’s apartment and became like a married couple Sally found a job in one of the nicer restaurants in the city and began to pay her own way. Mark told her she didn’t have to but wanted to be part of a relationship where nothing is taken for granted. Sally loved doting on Mark and he on her. He would bring her flowers just because and buy her jewelry, they were terribly in love and there wasn’t anything they wouldn’t do for each other. Sally was finally happy with life, she was with someone that loved her for herself and not to use as a sex object.

She had told Mark of her life before she had met him, about the abuse as a child and being used as a punching bag and then as a sexual relief for her stepfather when she was twelve years old. She couldn’t take it anymore and ran away when she was sixteen and met her old boy friend. He took her in and used her until she was so drugged out she didn’t even care when the cops arrested her. She cleaned up in jail and knew her old boyfriend had ten more years to serve on his sentence so she got her job and stayed clean. It wasn’t easy and she was tempted at times to start the drugs all over again but knew if she did she would end up back in jail or worse maybe dead. That was when Mark came into her life and made her see the good side of life and made her thank God that she didn’t do the drugs again.

***

They had been together now in San Francisco for about five months when Sally came to Mark.

“Mark, I have something to tell you and I hope you won’t be mad,” she said.

“Sally I love you, you would have to do something pretty bad to make me angry with you.”

“Mark, I’m pregnant, we’re going to have a baby.”

Sally had a look of fear in her eyes. She had become pregnant once before and her boyfriend made her get rid of it and she feared Mark would do the same.

Mark’s face lit up with a smile Sally hadn’t seen before. This was an I love you so much and am so proud of you type of smile that Sally knew Mark was truly special.

“We’re going to have a baby, honey sit down, I don’t want anything to happen to you, when did you find out?”

“Today, I took the test this morning.”

“Honey, you just made me the happiest man in the world, I love you and I love our baby.”

Sally ran to Mark and kissed him deeply.

“Baby, I was so afraid you wouldn’t want it, I was so afraid,” she trailed off.

“Why wouldn’t I want it, I love you Sally and want our baby more that anything.”

“I love you Mark,” she said as tears filled her eyes, tears of joy.

“Sally, we have to get married, the baby has to have a name, Sally will you marry me?” Mark asked.

“Mark, oh Mark, yes, I would love to be Mrs. Mark Conrad,” replied an excited Sally. Never in all her dreams did she think that abused girl would ever become someone’s wife, let alone to a man as wonderful as Mark Conrad.

Sally and Mark were married in a civil ceremony the following week, with Mark’s parents in attendance. They liked Sally because of her caring nature toward their son, she would make a wonderful daughter-in-law.

Another month past and Mark wanted Sally to quit her job, he didn’t want to hurt the baby.

“Mark, working isn’t going to hurt the baby. I knew girls that worked right up until they had the baby and everything was fine, we’ll be alright.”

“I’m sorry Sally, I just worry a lot about you and the baby, I don’t want anything to happen.”

“Mark, your so silly, nothings going to happen to us, women give birth all the time so don’t worry so much.”

“Okay, but if you feel anything I’m taking you right to the doctor’s, I love you Sally.”

“Mark, I love you too, nothings going to happen to our baby.”

Mark was at work the very next day when he was called in to his director’s office.

“Mark, we’ve been hearing some rumbling from the east coast and your name has been mentioned predominately. I think that their organization might have put two and two together and might have figured out that you’ve put a kink in their organization both in Atlantic City and Chicago. I think there might be a hit out on you so be careful.”

“I will boss, does anybody know who might be looking for me?”

“I think it might be that creep you winged in Chicago. With all the stuff we had on them I think they figured out that you weren’t killed like the paper said you were. Like I said, watch your back at all times.”

“I will.”

Mark didn’t want to alarm Sally so he said nothing of his conversation with his boss and as the weeks past the conversation was forgotten. Mark was wary but started to get careless. He didn’t notice little things like the strange car parked in his neighborhood or the person following him at a distance. This went on for weeks and Mark could only concentrate on Sally and the baby.

Sally was close to five months pregnant when she called to Mark.

“Mark, Mark, the baby, the baby, she squealed.

“Oh my god, what’s wrong should I call the hospital?”

“No silly, the baby just kicked, come here quick and feel it.”

Mark rushed to Sally’s side and she took his hand and placed it on her stomach.

“Feel that?” she asked.

“I didn’t feel anything,” he responded.

“There did you feel that?”

“You mean that little quiver?”

“Yes, that’s the baby, our baby and she’s saying hello to you.”

“She, our baby’s a girl?”

“I don’t know, I just have a feeling, you know how girls are they get excited when they see their father.”

“Now Sally, you’re being silly.”

“No I’m not,” Sally pouted.

“Yes you are,” Mark said as he kissed her deeply.

The following day Mark and Sally went to find a crib for their baby. Mark helped his lovely Sally from the car and they started to walk to the store. They were deep in conversation and Mark didn’t hear the car drive up behind them until he heard the staccato of the automatic weapon open up on them. Mark felt he first bullet enter his right shoulder blade and the second his left upper shoulder. The shooter had started to the right of the couple and as the recoil hit the gun it rose as he sprayed the area. The force of the bullets pushed Mark into the collapsing Sally, for she had been mortally wounded. Sally collapsed to the sidewalk and Mark fell beside her. Mark could barely move but gained the strength to roll Sally onto her back. Blood was coming from Sally’s mouth and he could hear her breathing becoming labored as her lungs filled with blood.

“Mark, what happened?” she asked.

“We’ve been shot.”

“Mark, I don’ feel good, I’m cold.”

Mark knew as the blood went to her lungs it wouldn’t go to her limbs and she would feel cold. Mark was losing the woman he loved and their baby and couldn’t do anything to stop it.

“Mark, I’m afraid, don’t let our baby die, please,” she whispered. “Mark put your hand on our baby.”

Mark raised his hand with great pain and effort and placed it on the swelling of Sally’s stomach and felt the baby kick one last kick, the end would come soon.

“I love you Mark,” Sally wheezed with her last breath.

“No, don’t die Sally, please don’t die, I love you so much, please baby, please,” Mark cried as he collapsed on top of his beloved Sally as unconsciousness took him.

Mark woke in the hospital with tubes running to his arms and to the sack on the pole stand next to his bed. There was a police officer outside his room. He felt pain from the shattered bones in his upper body. Sally, Sally, where was Sally and then the realization that Sally was dead hit him again. Mark groaned.

The nurse came to mark’s bed in the emergency room when she heard him to see if he was regaining consciousness.

“Mr. Conrad, you’re awake, how do you feel?”

“Like shit, what happened?”

“You and your wife were shot. It was an ambush.”

“Is she?” Mark said as his voice trailed off remembering the last time he saw Sally.

“I’m sorry, she was dead when the ambulance arrived.”

“Did they get the shooter?”

“No, you should stay still, you’ve lost a lot of blood and your shoulders have some broken bones in them. We’re going to take you to surgery soon to pin them back together. You’re going to be off of work for some time to recuperate, I’m sorry for your loss, Mark.”

***

When Mark left Mialing, she was devastated. She was so in love with him and now he was gone. She had given herself to him as a way of showing him how much she loved him and now he had abandoned her. Why, she wondered, why, she was a woman and nothing more, hadn’t she proved that to him, what else could she do. She wasn’t some sleazy slut but a woman with class, yes a woman, nothing more, nothing less, why, why had he rejected me? Poor Mialing knew nothing of Sally and had she known maybe she would have felt differently about Mark’s rejection, not that she would have felt better but at least she would have known she had a rival.

What Mialing didn’t know was that Mark still loved her very deeply. Mark loved both Mialing and Sally and being the person he was didn’t want to hurt either one, but after the blowup at Mialings he felt he had to be with Sally. He had seen how happy Sally was after being treated like a lady that he couldn’t hurt her, after all she had been hurt enough in life and he didn’t want to hurt her again.

Mialing didn’t know any of this and tried to get her life back together after Mark left. The important thing was that Mialing had become a complete woman and was learning how to control her emotions. She had learned that she loved having sex with a man but also to be selective and she didn’t sleep around, so to speak. She had several sex partners after Mark left and became a woman that liked being treated as a woman, with class.

Mialing still couldn’t rid herself of her love for Mark, nor he for her. Even while he was with Sally he would wonder what his life would have been like with Mialing instead of Sally, not to say he was unhappy with Sally but there was still a special spot in his heart for Mialing. After Sally became pregnant, Mark’s love for Sally grew beyond description and Sally became a changed woman. She loved decorating and housework, everything she didn’t before she met Mark. Mialing still couldn’t stop thinking of Mark and decided that maybe if she moved away from Vegas she could get over him. Her dates with other men only reminded her of the wonderful times with Mark.

Mialing moved to Long Beach and got a job on a cruise ship as a dealer in their casino. She liked the freedom the ship provided, deal at night, sleep and then enjoy the sights when they docked during the day. There was no shortage of men to date and if one got lucky she would bed them, Mialing was living an enchanted life.

***

Mark was put back together and spent several months recuperating. During this time Mark had little to do other than remember Sally and their baby. Mark was angry and had started to drink, just a little each day but a little soon turned into a lot. Mark’s body had healed but his mind hadn’t, Mark was becoming a bitter man. He was still on leave and he wanted to find the person that had killed his Sally. The only way to do that was to return to work and have access to the criminal files of people wanting to kill him. Mark was looking for revenge and hoped to find it.

Mark was back to work for a month when he was called into his director’s office.

“Mark, we’ve noticed that you don’t seem to be the same person that left here last year,” he said.

“How do you expect me to be after losing my wife and baby?” he snarled back.

“That’s what I mean, we’re here to help you and you treat us like we were the ones that killed your wife.”

“I’m sorry but I’m pissed off.”

“I understand that Mark but you can’t keep this up. Not only are you surely at work, your drinking is becoming a problem.”

“My drinking, what do you mean?”

“I mean you’re drinking too much, and your doing it on the job.”

Mark thought he was being discreet about his alcohol consumption but didn’t realize that he smelled like a drunken sot.

“Mark, I think you need help. I want you to see the shrink that handles the bureau affairs and do something about it.”

“Yes boss.”

Mark started treatment and quit drinking. There was something missing in his life though and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Mark was discovering that he missed being with a woman, and not just any woman, he missed Mialing.

Memories of Mialing came flooding back, why had he rejected her when he knew that he loved her more than he had loved any another person in all his life. He had loved Sally but deep down he had loved Mialing more and had let his stupid prejudice stand in his way to ask her to marry him. Mark had to find Mialing again and hope she hadn’t married and could find her way clear to forgive him for his stupidity.

Mark also had a need to find the person who had tried to kill him and had succeeded with Sally. While that person was still on the loose Mark wouldn’t be safe and beside it would make him feel a lot better to put a bullet between the bastard’s eyes for what he had done to Sally and his baby.

Mark started by reviewing all his old files and came to the conclusion it was the mob from Atlantic City that had put the hit on him and he had to do something to correct what was happening to him. Mark asked for some personal time off so he could fly back east to find the right person to talk to.

Mark contacted the person who could do the most good, Vince Valentine, double V as his close associates called him. Vince was the head of the Atlantic City mob and Mark had been a real pain in the ass for him. Mark had screwed things up for him in Atlantic City and Chicago and there was no love loss between the two men, but Vince respected Mark for having the guts to do what it was he did. Mark had cost Vince a lot of money by infiltrating his organization but the way he figured it, that was the cost of doing business.

Mark set up a meeting at a local restaurant to be sure they were in the open so that there would be no attempt on Mark’s life.

The two men greeted each other.

“Vince, nice to see you, I can see that your enemies haven’t found you yet,” said Mark with a wry smile on his face.

“I could say the same for you Mark,” laughed Vince.

“Vince, I might as well get right to the point, someone is trying to kill me and I want it to stop. I know we’ve had some differences and I’m sure you would be happy to see me gone, but I’m not going away.”

“Look Mark, I know we have our differences and you’ve done a lot of things that have made me really angry but it’s not in my best interest to have you killed. If I were to do that, I’d have the FBI all over my ass in a minute. It’s bad enough being investigated all the time for bending the law a little, but if I were to expand into murder I could really be in trouble.”

“What about that killing in Chicago, I know you had something to do with that.”

“Mark, Mark, how can you say such a thing, just because we had our fingers in that little venture doesn’t mean we had that Bill guy killed and besides, he was an ex-con who was stealing from innocent people, he deserved to die.”

“Look Vince you know as well as I do that murder is murder and if I can find a connection to you, I will. Right now though I’m more concerned about my own health and with who ever is trying to kill me. They made an attempt on my life and killed my wife and unborn child which makes me very unhappy and if it doesn’t stop I’ll take matters into my own hands.”

“Mark, if I wanted you dead, you would be dead right now. We both know that you were Bill Jepson in Chicago and I don’t know who put the hit out on you, but it wasn’t me. It was probably the guy running the operation, all we were was the money behind it. The guy that was supposed to do the hit was wounded twice and I think he might be doing this as revenge for failing to kill you the first time.”

“I want it to stop Vince, I want his name.”

“If I give you his name will you leave me alone for a while?”

“Of course Vince, you’re a business man and I hate to get involved in another man’s business.”

“His name is Max Rhinehart. He came to this country illegally five years ago and has made his living so to speak by killing. I don’t know where to find him but I’ll put the word out that you would like to find him in the worst way. I have to go now Mark. It’s been nice to see you again, but please don’t hurry back.”

“Thanks for the help Vince, I won’t forget what you did for me,” replied Mark.

***

Mark received an anonymous phone call three day’s later stating that Max was in Denver and he was on a sales call so to speak, he had someone to kill. Mark jumped on the next available plane to Denver with the hope he would find Max and take care of some unfinished business.

Mark landed in Denver and made his way to the local FBI office with the hope they could help him find the person Max was going to kill. Since Mark was on leave they didn’t want to help him at first but after contacting his home office in San Francisco they relented and gave him the information he wanted, and besides Mark would be helping them get a killer off the streets. Mark was given an address on the outskirts of Denver and he made his way to the location only to find it swarming with cops. Mark made his way to the first available officer.

“What happened?” asked Mark.

“Some poor son of a bitch was murdered,” responded the officer.

“It wasn’t Brian Nelson was it?” asked Mark.

“How did you know?” asked the officer.

”I was coming to warn him,” stated Mark as he flashed his FBI identification at the officer.

“Do you know who did this?” asked the officer.

“Yes I do and I’m after the killer myself. Do you know how long ago this happened?”

“With in the hour, his wife was on the phone with him when she heard the shots and she called us right away. You had better talk to the investigating officer right away, Bob will you escort this guy inside and have him talk to Benton?”

“Sure Jack, come this way,” said Bob.

Bob escorted Mark to Benton’s side.

Benton was a slim man with thinning hair and a moustache. He seemed to have a perpetual frown on his face, the rigors of crime investigation causing him to become jaded to life in general. He was a single man and other than his job he had no real life other than law enforcement. Even in his spare time he would spend time with evidence and had become a sour person for his efforts.

“What do you want?” snarled Benton.

“My name’s Mark Conrad, and I’m with the FBI. I know who did this killing and was on my way to warn the man that he was in danger,” Mark responded.

“You know who did this?” asked Benton as his demeanor changed. If this guy knows who did the killing I don’t have to solve the crime and can work on something else, Benton thought to himself.

“Yes, a killer named Max Rhinehart and I’m after him. I had hoped to beat him here and take him off the streets, but I can see I was too late.”

Mark was angry, he wanted to find Max and to be perfectly blunt, kill him but now he had escaped and Mark would have to continue the hunt for his wife’s killer.

“Do you know what he looks like?” asked Benton.

“I’m not sure, I know he’s from Germany and he’s in the country illegally, but other than that I don’t have a clue,” responded Mark.

“I think I might know a way to get him,” said Benton, “I think he will probably try to fly out of here as soon as possible, so we alert the airport to find men with German accents and we take them into custody for interrogation and maybe, just maybe we’ll get lucky.”

“Well good luck, I’ll be at my hotel for a few days, so let me know if you find anything,” said Mark as he left the crime scene.

Benton called Mark the next day with the news that Max had been caught at the airport with the gun he used safely tucked away in his luggage.

Now Mark was pissed off, he wouldn’t have the pleasure of killing Max himself and he might not even be executed, Mark was going to become a bitter man, he had lost his wife and child and now he couldn’t even take care of things himself, shit, why did he have to get caught, the bastard, couldn’t he do anything right? He killed Sally, but he was after me and I lived, what a fuck up, and then he gets captured at the airport, God why didn’t he drive a car somewhere and escape so I could kill him, why, Mark thought, as he broke down in tears.

***

Mark returned to San Francisco and returned to work. His mind was cleared of the retribution he had sought and he was moving on to other things. Several months had past and Mark won an office pool for a four day, three nights cruise to Ensinada Mexico and to various sites off southern California.

Mark flew to Los Angeles and soon was boarding the cruise ship. The ship got underway and was finally beyond the twelve-mile limit, which allowed the casino to open. Mark decided to play cards for a while, until they docked at San Diego and he could play tourist for a change.

Casinos on boats are small and have only a limited amount of gaming tables and at this time of day only a few were open. He walked to the first one that was open and laid his money on the table. He hadn’t really looked at the dealer but when he did he almost fell off his chair, he had found his beloved Mialing.

Mialing reached for Mark’s money and stopped when she saw whose money it was.

“Mark, what are you doing here?” she asked.

“I won this cruise at work, what about you, I looked for you in Vegas and found you had moved with no forwarding address, why?”

“I can’t talk about it now, can you meet me after I get off my shift?”

“I’d love to, there are a lot of things to talk about, I’ve missed you Mialing.”

“I’ve missed you too, we’ll talk later, if I don’t start dealing I’ll get fired,” giggled Mialing.

Mialing’s giggle went straight to Mark’s heart, why did he ever leave her he wondered, he had been so in love with her and he threw it all away for Sally. He had loved Sally and after she became pregnant their love grew but not in the same way he had loved Mialing. He would have done anything for her, anything, and yet he had let his penis think for him in Chicago and he dated Sally for the first time. Maybe what had happened between Mialing and himself was fate, because if it hadn’t been for Sally, Mialing would be dead today. Mialing would have been the one walking with Mark when he was shot, not Sally and now he had found Mialing again because of a drawing at the office, maybe fate was in God’s hands after all, one could only wonder.

Mialing finished her shift and she found Mark playing dice at the craps table.

“Mark, I’m finished for the evening, would you like to go somewhere and talk?” asked Mialing as she laid her hand on Mark’s. The light danced off her perfectly painted nails as they beckoned to Mark to fall under Mialing’s charms.

Mark and Mialing went out on the deck of the ship and stood under the perfectly lit sky, it was a sky made for lovers with a million stars looking down on the couple.

Mark embraced Mialing wanting to feel the love from her that was once again filling his heart, but what he received was not what he expected, Mialing gave him a “It’s nice to see you again,” hug, but there was nothing more to it, what had changed he wondered.

“It’s nice to see you again Mark, it was quite a surprise when you came to my table,” Mialing said.

“When I saw you, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” responded Mark.

“How have you been Mark, its been a long time?” Mialing said in a way as to let Mark know they were no longer lovers but friends having a conversation.

“I’m fine Mialing, a lot has happened since the last time I saw you, what about yourself, how have you been?”

“I’m fine now, there were some issues I had to deal with but I’m over them now. So tell me what you have been doing, are you married now?”

“You knew I had been married, how?”

“I called your work to talk to you about my problems and they told me you were with your wife so I hung up the phone without leaving my name, to be honest Mark I was devastated when I heard that, I was so much in love with you.”

“Mialing I was in love with you too, but some things happened while I was in Chicago that turned my life upside down, maybe I had better start from the beginning.”

“That day I told you I was staying home, I really had a date with a girl named Sally. I felt so guilty about it that I lied to you so you would never know but something happened and I went to bed with her and stayed the night. The next day some guy tried to kill me and that was when I found out about your past. I was falling in love with Sally, but I think it was more of a need to protect her than the love I felt for you. The last time I saw you I was conflicted, especially about your past and decided to be with Sally instead of you. I was a fool, because I still loved you more than her but I made a decision based on a fear that wasn’t justified. Sally moved to San Francisco and started to live with me and she became pregnant, we were going to have a baby. She was five months pregnant when the same guy from Chicago tried to kill me again and failed. He did kill Sally and our baby instead and I ended up in the hospital for months. I was angry and set out to find the man that had killed my child and his mother. As the time past I thought about you more and more and tried to contact you in Vegas but you were gone. I found the man in Denver but not until the police found him first or I would have been charged with murder myself. He was arrested and I went back to work in San Francisco and my anger finally went away. I know this might sound corny but it was as though God was guiding me back to you. If all the little things that happened hadn’t happened we wouldn’t have found each other again. I won the drawing for a cruise on your ship, Sally was murdered and I lived, I didn’t find the killer soon enough to kill him and go to jail, it has to be a sign Mialing, I still love you.”

“Mark, I didn’t know, I feel so bad for your child, but let’s be serious, all those things were a coincidence, nothing more, God had nothing to do with it.”

“I’m not so sure Mialing, I love you and want to be with you, don’t you want to be with me?”

“I can’t Mark, I’m seeing someone else.”

“Do you love him?”

Mialing was silent for a moment and then said, “He’s kind to me.”

“I didn’t ask you that, do you love him?”

“No, I haven’t felt love since you left me,” Mialing responded as her eyes began to water.

“Then be with me again, please Mialing, I love you.”

“I can’t right now Mark, I don’t want you to hurt me again.”

“I would never hurt you again, please trust me?”

“I trusted you once before and you broke that trust, it will take time Mark, please be patient with me.”

“Will you see me while I’m on this cruise?”

“I will if you’d like, but it’s going to cost you for what you did to me, I only wished they charged you for food on these ships, I’d make you pay dearly,” giggled Mialing.

She giggled, she giggled, maybe there is hope for me yet, thought Mark.

“I want to take you to dinner and I want to spend time with you while we’re in port, I want to take every moment you have that’s free Mialing, I want to prove that I’ve changed.”

“You’ve got a deal Mark Conrad, I’m yours as long as we’re on this ship but after we land I have a commitment to someone else and he trusts me to be true to him on shore so we will have to see what happens after that.”

“Have dinner tonight with me?”

“I will but I have to change first, I’ll meet you at your stateroom, which number do you have?”

“721”

“Oh my, an upper deck, I’ll see you in a half of an hour.”

“See you then Mialing.”

Mialing walked off and went o her room, on a lower deck reserved for the crew. What should I wear, she wondered. Mialing had become a real woman and liked to look good now, not like when she first met Mark and her clothes proved it, they were feminine and for the most part sexy, Mialing liked to be seen now, she was proud of being a woman.

Mialing found the dress she wanted to wear. It was red and lacy, cut low enough to show a small amount of cleavage and short enough to show a lot of leg. She put on a strapless bra because the spaghetti straps wouldn’t hide the straps of her other bras and Mialing wasn’t a tacky dresser. Tonight she would wear nude panty hose and red strappy sandals that matched her dress. The four-inch heels would make her stand out in any crowd. She applied her makeup and brushed out her hair. She had wanted to cut it after Mark left her just to spite him but decided against it, why hurt herself for something he had done? Mialing looked in the mirror and was pleased with what she saw. She knew when Mark saw her, he would kick himself for leaving her, she was going to make him suffer for what he had done.

Mialing knocked on Mark’s door and waited for him to answer it. Mark opened the door and Mialing knew she had succeeded in what she wanted to accomplish, Mark was awe struck when he saw her.

“Mialing you look wonderful, let me grab my coat and we’ll be off.”

“That’s a nice suit Mark.”

“Mialing, I’m at a loss for words, I’ve never seen you look so radiant.”

“Thank you Mark.”

Mialing took Mark’s compliments in stride, where she would have once blushed, she now felt confident in herself and took them as they were, just a compliment, nothing more and nothing less, Mialing had become a complete woman.

Mark escorted Mialing to their table, and they were seated by the staff. The conversation was kept light since they shared the table with other travelers. After dinner Mark brought Mialing to the disco for an evening of dancing. There were few slow songs and when Mark took Mialing into his arms and felt her softness and smelled her perfume he knew he had to win her back, he was deeply in love with this woman. The dancing ended and Mark walked Mialing to her room, hoping for a goodnight kiss.

“Goodnight Mark, I had a wonderful time.”

“I did too, may I see you tomorrow?”

“That would be nice, we’ll be in Catalina, it should be fun.”

“See you tomorrow then,” Mark said as he leaned toward Mialing’s lips.

Mialing placed her hand on Mark’s lips and said, “not yet Mark, I’m not ready for that, maybe later but not now, I’m sorry.”

“I understand, good night Mialing,” Mark said with a sad puppy dog look on his face.

Mialing entered her room and closed the door. She smiled to herself knowing Mark was eating himself up over her and she was now the one in control. She wanted to kiss him goodnight, truly she did but she wanted him to suffer first so she couldn’t give in on the first date. Maybe tomorrow she might tease him with a kiss on the cheek but she was going to make him suffer.

***

The next day found them in port and the couple was walking around Catalina Island. Mialing looked very nice in her white shorts light blue tank top and four-inch wedge sandals and once again Mark was trying to win her over, but try as he may Mialing wasn’t going to give in just yet. Mark was going slow knowing that if he did anything to blow this again, Mialing would be gone for good. He placed his arm around Mialing’s waist and she around his giving him hope that maybe she still had feelings for him. What Mark didn’t know was that Mialing had never lost her love for him but he had hurt her very deeply when they first parted and she wasn’t going to allow him to do that to her again. She would allow him to gain entry to her heart again but only on her terms and if those terms weren’t met then she would have to push him aside for someone new, maybe even the man she was seeing in Long Beach, after all Laurence was very good to her and he wasn’t all that bad in bed either.

Laurence was Laurence Wang, a Chinese American whose parents came from China and opened an import-export business in Long Beach forty years ago and turned the business over to their son when it became too large and they became too old to run it efficiently. Laurence graduated from the Stanford Business School with an MBA and wanted to become an investor on his own but because of family ties he ended up in the family business. He wasn’t happy running his father’s business but a child from his background didn’t question their parents. This caused Laurence to make a decision several years before meeting Mialing that would change his life.

Laurence was approached by certain members of a Chinese gang and was made an offer he couldn’t refuse, look the other way and you will become rich. Laurence knew they wanted to smuggle drugs and human beings in the containers but if he played dumb it would mean a lot of money would come his way. What he didn’t realize that once he succumbed to his greed they would own him as they did Tommy years before. Laurence was making millions of dollars a year with little effort and his life style showed it. He drove the latest Ferraris and played on all the best golf courses, was a high roller in Vegas and live in Calabasas, nothing was too good for Laurence. Gambling was how he met Mialing and wanted her for eye candy for when he was seen by others, Laurence was a man that liked to look good but was very empty on the inside. Because of his wealth he was able to give Mialing gifts beyond her wildest dreams. She liked the attention Laurence gave her but couldn’t get past his lust for money, she knew she was just decoration for him but she also liked being with a man that knew about Chinese tradition. Mialing would have been much more selective about Laurence if she knew he was involved with the very people that were trying to kill Tommy nine years ago.

***

Mark and Mialing took the tour to the airport high atop Catalina Island, with Mialing clinging to Mark at every tight turn in the road. She would look over the edge of the road and the height of the cliffs made her dig her nails into Mark’s arm, as fear overtook her.

“Mark, we shouldn’t have come on this tour, this road really frightens me,” Mialing said, with fear in her voice.

“These drivers are on this road everyday, and besides, you’re safe with me here,” Mark responded.

“I suppose your going to hold the bus up when we go off the road?”

“If you were in it I would, I would do anything to protect you Mialing, anything.”

The couple reached the summit and disembarked for some refreshment. After the ride Mialing felt close toward Mark again, she felt safe with him and liked the way he had made her feel secure when she was most scared on the bus ride. This time with Mark was awakening old feelings she had wanted to bury and she was becoming confused with her new attraction to Mark, maybe she still really loved Mark and trying to distance herself from him was only hurting herself. She knew he had feelings toward her and he wasn’t afraid to show it, so maybe if she were to open up a little she would find where her heart really was, with Mark, or with Laurence.

Mark and Mialing walked around the exhibit in the airport building and went to buy some trinkets as a remembrance of the trip. Soon they were walking hand in hand and looking at the scenery around the area. Mialing, for some unexplained reason kissed Mark on the cheek.

“What was that for?” asked Mark as he looked at Mialing.

“I don’t know, I just wanted to give you a kiss, I’ve missed you Mark,” she responded.

“I’ve missed you too, we used to have so much fun together,” said Mark.

“Among other things,” giggled Mialing. Mialing was feeling frisky and wanted what was happening to go a little farther, she wanted a real kiss from Mark.

Mark couldn’t believe his good luck when Mialing had kissed his cheek with her soft full lips, maybe this might work out he thought. Mark had noticed a change in Mialing since they had arrived at the airport, she seemed to be more receptive of him, perhaps she was lowering her guard a little. Mark decided he would kiss her back so he took her into his arms and lowered his lips to hers and felt the magic as they touched. Mialing wanted this kiss and now she remembered why, she was still in love with Mark. The touch of his lips was awakening memories she had tried to bury and would have succeeded if it were not for this kiss, Mialing was surrendering to her long lost love. The couple broke the kiss with a sigh. Mialing held Mark tight and laid her head against his chest, now it was her turn to be in conflict, she loved Mark but Laurence was good to her and she knew he loved her but could she love him in return, only time would tell.

Mialing lifted her head and said, “Mark, we really need to talk. If this is to go anywhere I need to know where I stand with you.”

“You know how I feel about you, I never lost that even when I married Sally I loved you, I was such a fool to do what I did.”

“Mark, you tell me that you love me but you told me that before and then left me, what am I to think this time?”

“Mialing, please trust me, I love you and will do anything to prove that I do.”

“I still love you Mark, maybe because you were my first real love, I don’t know, I’m so confused right now.”

“Please lets work on this relationship, you’ll see that I’ve changed, I love you.”

“Mark, come sit with me, there’s something I want to tell you and maybe you will understand why I’m so afraid to start this relationship all over again.”

Mialing led Mark to a bench and the couple sat looking at each other.

“Mark, when I first met you I still hadn’t come to terms with who I was. I was an angry bitter person on the inside of my body. I wasn’t the Mialing I projected, but a very angry Tommy trapped as a woman. I couldn’t let go of the past, I felt if I was angry I would change back to what I was, the woman would go away. It’s much the same as a person with a slow disease, like MS. As the sickness takes over your body you do anything to fight it back including anger, thinking if you stay mad it will go away but it doesn’t. I thought the same way, if I stayed angry I would become a man again so for years I fought who I really was, until I met you. At first I was intrigued with you because you had known Tommy, but as our relationship moved forward I began to like you as a man and I started to have feelings I had never had before. I was feeling an attraction to you as a woman for a man and not as two buddies having a good time. You were helping me break down barriers that prevented me from living a full life as the person I really was. When you played that trick on me at the canyon and I thought I had lost you, it was as though I was losing myself too, I was finding my femininity with you and you were taking it away when you pretended to fall. When you came up smiling, I didn’t know if I should hit you or laugh at what you had done, and that’s why I was so upset. You had no idea of the conflicts that were going through my mind, I was finally ridding myself of Tommy and becoming Mialing inside as well as out and when you took me that night I finally felt free, I had become a woman at last. Tommy, the bastard was gone, I had finally rid myself of him and I was free, I had accepted who I was, a woman, not a man in a woman’s body, but a woman, free to be myself.”

“When you left to go back to work I found new friends at work and we would do things I was always afraid to do before. I didn’t want to wear feminine clothes or go dancing, especially interacting with men, but after you left, I was a woman and I needed to do those things. During the past year, I was angry with you for what you did when you left me, but it didn’t stop me from being a woman and for that I thank you and I’m sure that now you see a different Mialing in front of you. When you left, I was a scared little girl who had just gone through her puberty and you had deflowered, but now, I’m a woman and I’m proud of being one. I love you Mark, I won’t deny that I do but I won’t throw my femininity away just to be with any man, that man has to prove that he is worthy to have me. You see Mark, I have changed, I have a lot to offer and any man will be proud to have me when I do become their wife. Now it’s you that has to prove to me that I should want you more than any other man I should meet.”

“Wow, all that to tell me you still love me?”

“Mark, I do love you, and if I was still the same silly girl we would be in bed right now, but I’m not so I hope you think about what I just told you. The man that gets me is going to be one lucky guy, I might not have been born as a woman but I’m more of a woman now than most real women are and best of all I feel good about myself, in fact I feel wonderful, like the luckiest woman in the world.”

“Mialing, I’m going to do anything I can to prove to you that I love you, now may I have another kiss?”

“I thought you would never ask,” Mialing answered as they touched lips once more.

After that day Mark and Mialing were inseparable. Mialing would work her shift at the tables and then they would spend their time with each other. The only thing Mialing wouldn’t allow was for Mark to spend the night with her, she wasn’t going to be so easy this time. It wasn’t as though Mark didn’t try with her, he practically begged her to go to bed with him, but Mialing held her ground, she wasn’t going to let his thing influence her feelings toward him. This relationship would be built on love and not lust, although there were times when they were holding and caressing each other that she was sorely tempted to ravage him, but she held strong. When Mialing did finally give herself to Mark he would never want to leave her again.

***

The ship returned to port and the cruise was over. Mark and Mialing had a lot to think about. Mialing had two men that wanted her and Mark was trying to prove his worthiness to Mialing. Mark had to return to work in San Francisco and Mialing lived in Los Angeles now, which might create a problem for Mark, he would have to ask for a transfer to be near his love.

“Mark, I had a wonderful time with you these last few days, I hope we will continue what we have renewed on this trip.”

“I promise that I will call you everyday, I’ll never leave you again,” promised Mark.

“I want you to do that but I have some things to work out, I love you Mark, please remember that if you decide to stray again,” said Mialing.

“I’ll never do that again, I love you Mialing.”

Mark kissed Mialing goodbye and they held each other for what seemed like hours and then finally parted. Mark had a plane to catch back to the city and Mialing had something she had to work out with Laurence.

Laurence in the mean time had been working on things other than his feelings toward Mialing. Laurence was a player and just because Mialing was working the cruise didn’t mean that he couldn’t spend some time with some hottie he might pickup in a club somewhere, which is what he did. His work schedule had become a bit more seedy with the Tongs and they were putting pressure on Laurence to increase his time with them and his involvement with harder crime.

“Laurence, this is Wilson, we have a problem, two of the illegal people from Hong Kong died in the container in the last shipment. If they find out it was us, they will try us for murder. Is there anyone that knows what we are doing?”

“I can’t think of anyone, why do you ask?”

“Because anyone that knows what we do will have to be killed. What about that little piece of fluff I see on your arm all the time?”

“Do you mean Mialing, she doesn’t know anything and besides she wouldn’t know the first thing about this kind of life.”

“Don’t be too sure Laurence, don’t let your guard down for a minute, trust no one, not even me. We dumped the bodies where they won’t be found but as it is we might still be in trouble. Luckily your business is legitimate and I doubt the feds are on to us but I still worry about your girl friend, there’s something about her that makes me uneasy.”

“It’s probably because she’s so beautiful, she makes most guys feel that way.”

“I don’t know just be careful.”

***

Mark returned to work and as luck would have it, was asked to report to the LA office because they were over extended on a drug operation and they needed help. Mark could hardy contain himself, now it would be a level playing field between him and Laurence for Mialing’s hand.

Mark reported for work the next day and was at a desk job pushing paper for the FBI. He hated jobs like this, doing the shit work for someone else while they were in the field working undercover. Even though it was dangerous he missed the action and knew he had to return to doing what he did best, infiltrate criminal operations.

He had worked for half of the day when he called Mialing. Mialing was back on a cruise as they only laid over for several hours before they left port again so he left a message on her answering machine.

“Mialing, this is Mark. I’m working down here in LA and I’ll be here for a while, so please call me when you return, I want to see you, I love you,” Mark said as he hung up the phone.

Mialing returned home from her second cruise in a week. She was exhausted and wanted to rest. She saw the blinking light on her answering machine and pushed the button to listen to her messages. Most were from her friends and then she heard Mark’s message. Her heart jumped into her throat she became so excited. Mialing called the number he had left for her.

The phone rang twice before it was picked up, “Agent Conrad, may I help you?”

Mark had left his work number, not wanting to miss Mialing’s call.

“Mark, hi, it’s Mialing. I just got back from the cruise and heard you message, when did you come down here?”

“Just a couple of days ago, when can I see you?”

“I’m in port for a week until I have to go back to work, I promised Laurence I would see him tonight but after that I have no plans, what do you have in mind?”

“How’s dinner sound, does tomorrow night work for you?”

“It’s a date, let me give you my phone number and address. You can reach me at 714 555 2487 and I’m living in Newport Beach now and the address is 17 Overlook Drive, apartment 302, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodbye Mialing,” Mark said as hung up the phone.

Mialing prepared for her date with Laurence. It had been two weeks since she had been home and the thought of a real bath was making her giddy. She turned on the water and added bubble solution to the tub, might as well go all the way, she thought to herself. The tub filled while Mialing removed her clothes. She turned off the water and stepped into the steaming liquid and lowered herself carefully so as to enjoy every caressing touch of the bubbly water.

“Ahh,” she said as her body relaxed.

Now I know what I miss about being on land, the little things like taking a bath in a tub large enough to stretch out in, and water hot enough to enjoy, she thought as she almost fell asleep. Her eyes were drooping as the relaxation enveloped her, Mialing was beat and kind of hated the idea of seeing Laurence, she wanted to rest but a promise is a promise so she gave in to her date. She was startled from her semi-doze when the phone rang. Mialing had brought the cordless receiver with her into the bathroom so she wouldn’t miss any calls, it was Laurence calling.

“Hi honey, are you ready for a nice dinner?” he asked.

“Hi Laurence, I’m in the tub, where are we going for dinner?”

“There’s a new restaurant a few miles from where you live and it’s had great reviews, I thought we might try it, what do you think?”

“It sounds good to me, where are you?”

“I’m still at work, I’ll leave in a half of an hour. I hope the traffic won’t be too bad but even with out any accidents it’s going to take an hour and a half to get there.”

“Good, that will give me time to get ready, see you when you get here,” Mialing said as she put the phone down.

Laurence had one more call to make before he left his office.

“Hello,” the voice said on the other end.

“Richard, it’s Laurence, we have to talk. I’m getting worried about what we have been doing and I either want more money or you can find someone else to do your job for you. I don’t like that two stowaways died on the last delivery and if we’re caught we’ll be sent away for a very long time.”

“Laurence, calm down, nothing’s going to happen, we dumped the bodies where they will never be found. I don’t like that they died either because now they won’t be able to work off their debt to us, its like flushing fifty thousand dollars down the drain. I’ll talk to my boss in Hong Kong and see what he says.”

Richard was Richard Wong, the head person in Los Angeles for the Tong. Richard had worked his way up from delivery boy to enforcer and then to hit man. He became the boss when he killed the head of the Tong before him. His previous boss was thought to have stolen thousands of dollars to feed a drug habit so Richard shot him and buried him in the desert between LA and Las Vegas. Richard was becoming concerned with Laurence because Laurence was baulking at some of the chores he was being asked to do. Laurence didn’t mind using his company to smuggle drugs and human beings but now the gang wanted him to become involved in some of the physical abuse being done to deadbeats. Laurence felt that was below his station in life, after all Stanford graduates don’t do those things. Richard called his boss in Hong Kong. He needed to see if they could find a solution to the Laurence problem. He knew that they wouldn’t pay Laurence anymore money, after all they already paid him more than any other smuggler before him and if he thought he should receive more money then maybe they would find another smuggler.

The phone rang and a voice answered, “Hello,” it was David Chang. David was the younger brother of Winston Chang and had been involved in the family business all his life. When Winston was eliminated David worked his way into his brother’s old position. David was even more ruthless than Winston had ever been. He thought nothing of killing anyone that crossed his path and his lieutenants knew better than to question his orders.

“David, its Richard Wong. I have some disturbing news for you. Laurence wants more money to move our merchandise through his company and he seems to have a problem taking orders from us, what should we do with him?”

“Richard, I’ve been expecting Laurence to give us trouble so I found another shipper to deliver goods for us. Their main office is here in Hong Kong and I know the head of the company very well. I did a favor for him once and he owes me big time. I told him what we were doing and he agreed to handle all our shipments from now on. Actually he agreed after I showed him pictures if his wife and son and explained to him that if he didn’t do as asked they would disappear. Since our problem is solved, I think the prudent solution would be to eliminate Laurence since he knows too much about our operation.”

“I’ll take care of it, what about his girl friend, I don’t know what he might have told her but I’ve always had a suspicion about her, I don’t trust her.”

“Kill her then too, I don’t like loose ends.”

“We’ll do it as soon as I can get the two of them together.”

“The sooner the better, see you Richard.” David said as the phone went dead.

What Richard didn’t know was that the FBI had tapped his phone and heard everything that was said. They knew Richard was the headman in LA and that Laurence was smuggling goods for the Tong and this conversation just about sealed their investigation that had been ongoing since Tommy first led them to the Tongs. All they needed was a little more time to tie San Francisco to this gang and then they would be taken down. Infiltrating the gang had been impossible and finding the right people to wire tap had taken years but now, finally their work was about to pay off.

***

Mialing pulled herself from the tub but not until she had given her hands and feet a prune effect from being in the water for too long. Mialing didn’t care that her hands looked like hell, it felt so good just relaxing and she knew that the wrinkles would soon disappear. Mialing dried herself off and started to dry her hair. She hated that it took so long to dry and had thought of having it cut to a sensible length but would always change her mind, knowing it would take years to grow back and then she decided that she really did like brushing her hair until it shown in the light. Mialing wondered what she should wear for her date with Laurence. She would have worn something that begged for him to seduce her but now that Mark was back she didn’t feel that way tonight, she was conflicted so she dressed casual dressy, a nice sun dress that was a little sexy but not overly so and a pair of flat sandals, she wanted to be comfortable. She applied her makeup and waited for Laurence to arrive.

Laurence rang her doorbell and Mialing buzzed him in.

“You look very nice,” Laurence said. It was hard to see the disappointment in his eyes as he surveyed his date, he was expecting something more revealing on Mialing, after all she had been gone for two weeks and had expected her to be all over him when he came to the door.

“Thank you, let’s go, I’m starving,” Mialing said as she kissed him on the cheek.

The couple drove to the restaurant and caught up on what they had been doing the previous weeks. Mialing didn’t mention Mark since she knew Laurence was a jealous man and felt no need to tease him.

“Mialing, I got tickets to a concert at the Scottish Rite Temple Friday night, would you like to go?”

“Of course, what should I wear?”

“Something nice, I’m wearing a suit.”

“I have just the dress in mind, what time does it start?”

“At eight, maybe we can have dinner after the concert?”

“That sounds good. I’m a little tired tonight, would you mind if we made it an early evening?”

“I don’t mind, I’m a little bushed myself, I’ll get the check.”

Laurence drove Mialing back to her apartment and walked her to the door, hoping that he would get lucky tonight, but it wasn’t to be, Mialing had someone else on her mind and didn’t feel like going to bed with Laurence.

“Thank you for a wonderful dinner Laurence,” said Mialing as she kissed him on the lips.

“Your welcome,” said Laurence as he kissed her back with more intensity. Laurence was putting his all into the kiss hoping that Mialing would respond to it and invite him into her home.

Mialing just didn’t want this right now so she broke the kiss and said goodnight.

“Are you okay?” asked Laurence.

“I’m fine, I just feel a little tired tonight and just want to get some sleep. I promise to make up for it Friday night, okay?”

“Okay sweetheart, I can wait,” Laurence said with a smile on his lips.

Mialing undressed and went to bed and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning she awoke when her phone rang, it was after ten AM.

“Good morning Mialing, it’s Mark.”

“Mmm, good morning Mark, you woke me,” said Mialing in that sultry I just woke up voice.

Mark was amazed that Mialing’s voice still made him want to drop everything to be with her, she really was an amazing woman.

“I’m sorry, I thought you would be up.”

“I usually am but I was so tired from the trip that I slept later than usual, are we still on for tonight?”

“Yes, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t have other plans. What time would you like to get together?”

“When ever you would like, I’m off of work, remember.”

“How does seven sound?”

“Great, but remember, it takes at least two hours to get here at that time of night, do you know where you want to go for dinner?”

“I don’t have a clue, I’ll leave it up to you.”

“I’ll think of something, probably casual, I don’t feel like dressing up.”

“Okay see you later.”

Mialing cleaned her apartment and then decided to go shopping for something nice for Mark. She might go casual, but it was going to be sexy, she really wanted to impress Mark as to what he had been missing this last year or so. Mialing found a denim skirt and a white off the shoulder blouse that exposed her midriff. Mialing’s taste in clothing had gone from boring when she first met Mark to hot, as she liked to dress these days. Mialing liked the attention she received from men and reveled in her femininity, she had really become a girly, girl.

Mialing’s legs were tan from the cruise so she decided not to wear hose, it was hot in Southern California and there was no need to be uncomfortable. She donned her new clothing and looked at herself in the mirror, my, my, Mialing, she thought, you’ve come a long way from how you once were. Mialing as wearing four-inch wedge sandals and her tanned legs were exposed all the way to mid-thigh. Her skirt hugged her perfect hips and was low cut exposing her tummy up to just below her breasts. Her top was cut low enough to let Mark see that her breasts were still perfect and then it went up to her shoulders and barely covered anything more than the barest of skin. Her makeup was light but made her eyes stand out. She pulled her hair over one shoulder and smiled, Mark, you’re one lucky guy, she thought.

Mark arrived and Mialing buzzed him in. She opened the door and almost giggled when she saw Mark’s expression, he was blushing. She reached out and took Mark’s hands and pulled him into her apartment.

“Hi,” she said.

“Wow, hi,” Mark was finally able to say.

“You look nice Mark, there’s a nice restaurant down in Laguna Beach that I’d like to try if that’s alright with you?”

“Mialing, when you opened the door, I thought I had just died and went to heaven, God your beautiful.”

Now it was Mialing’s turn to blush, Mark still had that effect on her and she liked that he was able to make her feel this way.

“Any restaurant would be fine as long as I’m with you,” he continued.

“Let me get a wrap in case it gets cold.”

Mialing grabbed her wrap and the couple was soon on their way to Laguna Beach. The traffic was still heavy so it took over an hour to arrive at their destination. They were soon seated and memories of their past soon returned. Mialing would look into Mark’s eyes and she knew that she still loved him. Mialing was feeling a want for Mark and try as she may to fight those feelings, she knew she was losing the fight, she wanted him to bed her this very evening and as the night progressed she was becoming anything but subtle about what she wanted from him. She would caress his hand with her nails or rub his leg with her foot as she fell into her seduction, and Mark was becoming as aroused as she was.

The couple finished dinner and Mialing asked, “ May we walk on the beach for a while?”

“That would be nice,” Mark responded.

Mark and Mialing walked down to the water and she removed her sandals so the water wouldn’t ruin them and carried them in her free hand, the other being held by Mark. They walked for around a half of a mile and turned to return to Mark’s car. Before they completed the turn Mark took Mialing into his arms and kissed her softly on her lips. Mialing dropped her sandals and pulled Mark tight to her body and kissed him back with a passion that left little doubt that he would stay the night with her. They broke the kiss and slowly walked back to the car, kissing and cuddling all the way.

When they returned to Mialing’s home she asked, “Would you like to come up?”

“If you didn’t ask, I would have been on my hands and knees begging,” he responded.

They entered her door and were in each other’s arms before it could even close. Mark couldn’t get enough of her kisses and caressed every inch of her body. Mialing was on fire, she wanted Mark inside of her so badly that she took him by the hand and led him to her bedroom. She let go of his hand and removed her clothing and then lay on her bed waiting for him to fill her, which he did, several times that night.

Mark woke from his sleep as the sunlight hit his eyes. Mialing’s hand was resting on his chest as she slept. She’s so beautiful, even when she sleeps, he thought, how could I have ever left her he wondered?

Mark rose from the bed and Mialing purred as he removed her hand from his chest.

“Mmm, where are you going?” she asked.

“Just to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.”

Mark went and took care of business and returned to his love. Mialing cuddled up to him when he returned to the bed. She liked the feeling of having a man next to her when she awoke in the morning, especially when that man was Mark.

“What would you like to do today?” she asked.

“It’s Friday and I have to work, maybe after we can have dinner?”

“I can’t, I have a date with Laurence, I promised him I would go to a concert with him tonight.”

“Do you have to see him?” Mark answered with obvious jealousy in his voice.

“I promised and as much as I would like to be with you, a promise is a promise. We can spend tomorrow and Sunday together if you would like?”

“I’d love that, it’s getting late and I’m already behind schedule, I’d better get ready for work.”

“I’ll make something for you to eat before you go,” said Mialing.

“Just coffee would be fine, I really don’t have time to eat,” responded Mark as he entered Mialing’s shower to bathe.

Mialing had become quite the American girl in the last year. In the past she would prefer tea and now she was grinding her own beans to make coffee, quite a change for this girl.

Mark exited the shower and could smell the French roast brewing in the kitchen. Mark was feeling like a married man again and he liked the feelings he was having. He didn’t want to leave his beloved Mialing this morning and for some reason he felt closer to her now than he had ever felt before his living with Sally, he truly loved this woman. While Mark dressed he could hear Mialing humming in the kitchen, she sounded so happy and content, God he loved her, he just hoped she felt the same about him.

Mialing turned as Mark entered the kitchen and said, “Here’s your coffee,” as she handed him the cup.

The sun was streaming through the glass door and reflecting off Mialing’s hair. It almost looked as though she had a hallow around her head, Mialing had the look of sexy innocence, and Mark was falling even deeper in love with this girl.

Mark finished his coffee and turned to kiss Mialing goodbye. Mialing was wearing only a short satin robe and he was wearing a polo shirt and slacks. He felt her body press against his as their lips met and knew he would do anything to win this woman for himself. She felt so soft as she kissed him and yet he could feel her responding to his kiss, she wanted Mark to make love to her again before he left to go.

Mark broke the kiss knowing that if he didn’t he would never get to work that day if it continued.

“Do you have to go?” Mialing pouted, making sure her robe fell open enough to reveal her beautiful breasts.

“God, Mialing, you make this so hard, I have to be at work by ten and if I stay I’ll never want to leave.”

“Do you mean you want to leave?” she asked in a playful voice.

“You know I don’t, but if I don’t get to work, I might lose my job and then I won’t be able to ask you to marry me because I won’t be able to support you,” Mark teased back.

“Are you asking me to marry you?”

“Not yet, I haven’t bought you a ring and after all what is a proposal without a ring?”

“Your right, I at least deserve a ring, oh well, easy come easy go, I guess I’ll have to wait,” Mialing said through her smile and then began to giggle uncontrollably.

Mark walked back to Milaing and hugged her, he was so much in love with her. Mialing felt safe in Mark’s arms and hoped that he would indeed ask her to marry him for she too had regained the love she had tried so hard to bury deep in her heart.

***

Mark left Mialing and drove to downtown LA and tried to sneak into his office but was noticed by one of his co-workers.

“Hey Mark, something keep you in bed this morning?” asked Jesus.

Jesus Montoya was also an undercover agent that worked the Mexican drug gangs in Los Angeles. He, like Mark was a single man and when one of the agents looked as though they had a good evening, there would be hell to pay around the office. All the remarks were in good fun since the ones giving would soon be the ones taking the same kind of grief.

“Oh, I just overslept,” Mark replied with an innocent smile.

“It looks like it and when did you start wearing shoulder length black hair on your shirt?”

“Okay, you busted me, I was at my girl friends last night and forgot to set the alarm.”

“I didn’t know you had a girl friend?”

“Yep, I sure do, and she’s the prettiest girl you’ll ever meet.”

“When am I going to meet her?”

“At the wedding.”

“The wedding, oh shit, don’t do it dude, look at me, I’ll be paying alimony and child support for twelve more years.”

“Face it Jesus it’s the fucking you get for the fucking you got, but Mialing is different.”

“Did you say Mialing?”

“Yeah, why?”

“We’re investigating a shipper that’s smuggling drugs and human cargo and I think his girl friend’s name’s Mialing. I over heard someone say that there is something going down tonight and we’re going to bust her boyfriend next week, it couldn’t possibly be the same girl.”

“What’s the boyfriend’s name?”

“Laurence Wang, he’s a real piece of work. He has a degree from Stanford but couldn’t wait to get rich so he got involved with the Chinese gangs so he could make the quick buck and now he’s going to go to jail.”

“She’s the same girl, is she involved?”

“I don’t think so, I think he just takes her out. Buck says she’s a real looker.”

“Yes she is and I hope nothing happens to her before you bust this guy, those gangs are very dangerous. They could care less if they were to kill someone. I worked with some of those people a while back and I’ll tell you, they’re scary.”

“I don’t know that much about them, ask Buck, I’m sure he’ll tell you all he knows.”

Mark had to wait for Buck to return to the office from a stake out at the wharf before he could ask him what he knew about Mialing.

***

Mialing wondered what she should wear for the concert. She decided to go shopping to find just the right dress. She ended up at Nordstrom’s and found a Sean one-shoulder cocktail dress in an aqua color and a pair of four-inch sandals to complete the outfit. She had her hair washed and conditioned. She liked going to the salon to keep her hair in perfect condition and she liked the way it shined after they were done with her. While she was there she had her nails done in a ruby red, she wanted to look perfect tonight. Mialing was still on a high from her date with Mark and she had to know if she still had feelings for Laurence, not that they were strong in the first place.

By the time she returned home it was nearly four PM. She went to collect the messages on her answering machine and discovered that the machine had broken. “Damn,” she thought now I’ll have to buy another one but I don’t have time right now, I’ll get one tomorrow.

Mialing went to dress knowing that Laurence would be there in an hour. She covered her hair and stepped into the shower, no time for a bath today. She lathered her legs and underarms and slid her razor to remove any stubble that might be there. She turned off the water and patted herself dry and dusted her body with powder. She found a pair of white thong panties and nude panty hose and carefully rolled them up her legs, taking care not to snag them with her nails. Mialing put on her makeup and made her eyes look dramatic, she had become very good at this look over the last year. Mialing had found the prettier she looked, the more at ease she was with her identity, she had truly become a woman. Last she lowered her dress down over her head and zipped the back up. She placed her feet into the sandals and buckled the rhinestone buckle. She brushed out her hair and looked into her mirror. She looked hot, she turned and saw that the back of the dress was cut down to her waist and yet the front showed no cleavage. The hem was uneven, starting at one knee and ending at mid-calf, she would turn many heads at the concert tonight.

***

It was almost five o’clock by the time Buck returned to the office. Most of the employees had gone home but he found Mark waiting for him. Buck didn’t know Mark very well but seemed to like him. He knew of Mark’s close shave with death so when Mark asked him about Laurence and Mialing he didn’t mind answering Mark’s questions, as long as it didn’t take too much time, his wife wanted him home for a change.

“Buck, Jesus told me that you were handling the Laurence Wang case and I have to ask you something about it.”

“What do you need to know?” Buck answered.

“It’s about the girl, Mialing, what can you tell me about her?”

“The girl, not much, she only goes out with Laurence when she’s in port and then only on a regular date, you know dinner and a show or dancing, typical guy, girl stuff.”

“Is she involved with what Laurence is doing?”

“No, I don’t think so, if fact I doubt she has a clue as to what he’s doing. I feel kind of sorry for her because the gangs are having a meeting with Laurence tonight and I think they want him to kill her as protection for them. They think she might know something so if she’s eliminated what she might know will die with her.”

“Holy shit, I know Mialing and I know she has nothing to do with those people, where is the meeting going to take place?”

“They have a little office in a warehouse down on Slausen and I’m sure that’s where it’s supposed to happen.”

“I have to warn her, I can’t let anything happen to her.”

Mark ran to his office and called Mialing’s apartment. The phone rang and rang with no answer. Mialing had just left with Laurence and since she had already locked her door she decided not to answer the phone, so she took Laurence’s arm and held it while he escorted his beauty to his car.

“You look very beautiful tonight Mialing, I hope you don’t mind if we stop for a moment on the way to the concert?”

“Of course I don’t mind, where do we have to stop?”

“Down in LA, I have to see a business associate.”

“That’s fine, I don’t mind.”

If Mialing knew what was going to happen to her at the warehouse she would have run from the car. She had been away from that life for years and was very innocent in the ways of the world now. If she had known these people were the very same that had tried to kill Tommy she would have jumped from Laurence’s car, but instead she cuddled up to Laurence’s shoulder hoping to find some magic in their relationship. She knew she loved Mark and if she couldn’t love Laurence in the same way, then she would be able to move on. She was afraid of her feelings toward Mark because of the hurt he gave her and still didn’t trust him as far as a relationship was concerned. Mialing was trying so hard right now to make this thing with Laurence work, but she didn’t feel the fire she felt with Mark, no matter how hard she was trying.

LA traffic was what it usually is on a Friday evening, the pits. Even the carpool lane was stopped. Mark didn’t have the luxury of being able to be in the carpool lane but it didn’t seem to matter, as long as he arrived at the warehouse before Laurence did to warn Mialing of the impending attempt on her life. Mark only had five miles to drive, but they would be the slowest five miles in his life. He had no choice but to take the freeway since he wasn’t familiar with the streets in LA. Mialing and Laurence had much farther to drive but the traffic was lighter so they were able to move at twenty miles per hour, so in essence they would arrive just before Mark. Laurence had arrived first and parked his car.

“Mialing, come in with me?” Laurence asked.

“That’s okay, I’ll wait in the car,” she responded.

“Please come in with me, the guy’s want to meet you because I’m always bragging about how beautiful you are,” Laurence said as he walked around the car and opened Mialing’s door.

“Okay, you win,” Mialing said in her most feminine voice.

Mialing took Laurence’s arm to steady herself on her heels. They entered the unlocked office door and called out, “Anybody here?”

“Out back,” a voice was heard to say through the rear office door. Laurence escorted Mialing to the door and opened it for her. As she stepped through the opening she felt an arm swing around her neck and pull it tight. Mialing screamed and the arm pulled tighter cutting off her air.

“Shut up and be quiet and I’ll let you breath,” the voice said with a heavy Chinese accent.

Mialing shook her head yes and the pressure on her neck was released, but the arm remained holding her from moving. The man’s other hand held a gun to Mialing’s head.

“Laurence, you did as you were told and brought the girl here, now you must kill her.”

Had Mialing heard right, Laurence was supposed to kill her, why, what had she done. Mialing could see the fear in Laurence’s eyes, he wasn’t a killer, but she also knew all too well what kind of men they were dealing with, after all she was once one of them.

Mialing had to do something so she asked, “Why do you want to kill me?”

“Because of what you know,” answered the man behind her.

“I don’t know anything,” she answered as fear started to enter her body.

“We can’t take that chance, kill her Laurence.”

Laurence looked at the beautiful Mialing and knew he didn’t have the guts to kill her let alone anyone else. Laurence was a hollow man.

“I knew you wouldn’t be able to kill her, so I’ll have to do it, but not until I kill you first for not obeying instructions,” the man said as he swung his gun at Laurence and fired off a shot that struck Laurence in the forehead, Laurence dropped like a rock in a heap on the floor. The gun was still pointing at Laurence and Mialing knew if she had any chance to survive she would have to make her move now while the gun was pointing away from her. She lifted her leg and then buried her heel in the man’s foot. Mialing could feel the bone break as the heel pushed to the bottom of his foot. The man yelled in pain and released Mialing’s neck. She threw her hand at the gun and was able to knock it from the killer’s hand causing it to slide under a table.

“You fucking bitch,” he yelled as he struck her on the side of her face. Mialing was off balance from the maneuver she had done with her foot and fell to the floor. The man limped to the table and grabbed for the gun. Mialing got to her feet as quickly as she could and saw the man take the gun in his hand and turn to point it at her. He pulled the hammer back and Mialing heard the gunfire. She didn’t feel anything, he couldn’t have missed, and then she saw the man fall to the floor.

“Mialing, are you alright?”

It was Mark’s voice, it was her precious Mark and he had saved her. Mialing collapsed to the floor as the events that just occurred made her weak. Tears formed in her eyes and she wept. Mialing was no longer the hardened criminal Tommy. She was just an ordinary girl who wanted nothing more than to be loved by a man that loved her as much as she loved him.

Mark had arrived at the warehouse a minute or two after Mialing and Laurence. He heard the sound from the killer’s gun when he arrived and entered the warehouse unnoticed. He had assumed that Mialing had been shot and was careful not to enter the back area without being careful so he too wouldn’t be killed. It was then that he heard the killer swear at Mialing and knew he had to save her, so he entered the room at the same time the killer was pointing his gun at Mialing and was able to shoot the man before Mialing was killed.

Mark rushed to Mialing’s side and took her in his arms to comfort her. Mialing was weeping uncontrollably and Mark just held her knowing that right now she needed to be held until she would feel safe again. Several minutes past until Mialing was able to compose herself. Mark stood and helped Mialing to her feet.

“The police will be here any minute now, let me handle everything, you’re safe now,” Mark said as he held Mialing to his chest.

“How did you know where to find me?” Mialing sniffled.

“One of the guys at the office knew about this meeting and told me about it. I tried to phone you to warn you not to come here but there was no answer on your phone, not even your answering machine,” answered Mark.

“I heard my phone ringing after I had locked the door and didn’t think it was important so I didn’t go back in to answer it, I wish I had.”

“Luckily I was able to get here in time, why did you come here in the first place?”

“Laurence wanted to meet with the people in this business. I told him that I would wait in the car and he said to come inside. When I went into this room that man grabbed me from behind and wanted Laurence to kill me. He couldn’t do it so the man shot Laurence and that’s when I smashed his foot with my heel and you saved me.”

“Mialing, I know this isn’t the right place or time to ask you this, but after what just happened I want to protect you from things like this happening again. I love you Mialing and if I was to lose you again I don’t know what I would do. Mialing, will you marry me?”

Mialing looked at Mark, had she heard correctly, he wanted to marry her? She like any other girl had thought of what it would be like to be asked to marry. She would be standing under an old spreading oak tree wearing a soft white virginal sun dress and a wide brim white hat and her intended would be on his knee with her hand in his asking the most important question of his life. She would say yes and birds would fly from the tree to announce to the world with their chirping that the couple would live happily ever after. Mialing looked around the room, she was still shaking from the fear she had inside of her and saw two dead men on the ground, and here she was, her dress was ruined from her fall to the ground, her makeup was ruined from crying, the room was ugly and the man she loved just asked her to marry him, Mialing burst into tears.

“Mialing, what did I say?” implored Mark.

Mialing gained control of her emotions and said, “I’m crying because it’s a girl thing and you wouldn’t understand, yes Mark, I’ll marry you, are you sure you want to marry me?”

“More than anything in the world, I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The police arrived and Mark blocked their entry into the building claiming that it was an FBI crime scene. Mark knew if word leaked out that Mialing was still alive she would once more be in danger and he was going to have to make a statement that would protect Mialing from these creeps once and for all. He used the power of his FBI badge to give a report to the police that read that Laurence, an un named gunman, and an unidentified Asian woman were killed in a shootout in Los Angeles. The officers didn’t even question his statement assuming that he wouldn’t lie to them. It also helped that the two bodies were visible from the front of the building, Mark made sure of that. Mark explained that the third body was in the back of the warehouse and couldn’t be seen from where they were standing and that until the crime lab arrived, the inside of the space was off limits With help from the police, unknown to them, Mialing was dead as far as the gangs were concerned.

Mark called FBI head quarters and explained what had happened and that they would have to send more people to the crime scene to clean up the mess and to write a cover story to protect Mialing. The head quarters contacted Buck Collins and told him what had happened with Laurence since he was the lead investigator on the job.

Mark’s phone rang and he answered it, “Hello, Mark Conrad.”

“Mark, Buck Collins here, what the hell is going on?”

“Buck, I know I stepped over the line on this one, but I couldn’t let anything happen to Mialing, she’s a very special young lady.”

“Jesus Christ Mark, you know how this stuff works, collateral damage is collateral damage and it isn’t your place to try to save every young maiden that might get killed. Why in the hell was this one so important?”

“Buck, if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me, let’s just say that if I didn’t save her, my future wife would be dead right now.”

“You mean you’re engaged to this girl, why didn’t you say something?”

“I didn’t want to compromise the investigation.”

“Mark, we do take care of our own, letting your fiancé walk into a situation like that was lunacy, what were you thinking?”

“Remember, I didn’t know about the investigation until I talked to you this afternoon and I tried to warn her but it was too late, so that’s why I took matters into my own hands.”

“Well next time get some help, you might have been killed, now what do you want to do with this mess?”

“We have to cover for Mialing and make the gangs think she is dead. I already told LAPD that she was killed along with the two thugs during the shooting so at least when the news papers get the police report they will assume she is dead. Now, all we have to do is make a false report that covers what I told them and she should be safe.”

“Do you think that will work?” asked Buck.

“Look Buck, I know it will work, it has too.”

“Okay, you have my help, I’ll file the reports in the morning. You will have to wait until the crime guys get there before you leave, I’ll see you in Monday.”

The criminal investigators arrived and Mark led them through the events of the evening being sure they were up to speed on how they were to cover for Mialing. Mialing would finally be safe once more. The couple was finally free to leave the scene.

“Where would you like to go?” asked Mark.

“I want to go home,” Mialing sniffled. Every time she had to speak the events of the evening would create havoc with her mind, making her almost cry.

“Are you sure, you look so pretty in your dress?”

“Mark, please, I want you to take me home and hold me, I want to feel safe again.”

Mark drove Mialing to her home and the couple went inside. Mialing removed her dress and decided it could be cleaned and she could wear it again if she could bury the memories it would remind her of. She put on her satin robe and returned to Mark and cuddled against him. Mark wrapped his arms around his love and held her tight knowing that he would have to do everything possible to make Mialing feel safe again. The couple remained this way for the rest of the night, just holding each other.

***

Mialing was the first to wake in the morning. Mark’s arms were still wrapped around her and she had to go to the bathroom. She carefully removed his arms without waking him, he only groaned, and went to relieve herself. She returned to the bedroom and looked at Mark as he slept. What a wonderful man, so caring, so loving, so handsome, Mialing was truly in love. Mialing went and ground some beans for coffee and brewed it so it would be ready when Mark woke from his sleep. She reflected on the previous days activities. She had almost been killed by the very people that had hunted Tommy so many years ago, and they had expected her date to do it and not because she was once Tommy but because she was just an innocent girl unlucky enough to have met Laurence. Her knight in shining armor had ridden in on a white horse and saved her life, and then asked her to marry him. Mialing felt blessed to have found such a man.

The aroma from the coffee was making Mark stir from his sleep. When he opened his eyes he found his arms were empty. He shot up to a sitting position, his Mialing was gone and then he heard her in the kitchen and smelled the coffee and knew everything was all right.

Mialing pour a cup of coffee in a mug and brought it to Mark.

“Good morning sweetheart,” she said.

“Good morning, how do you feel this morning?”

“Like the luckiest girl in the world.”

“Me too.” He answered.

“You feel like a girl?” she giggled.

“You know what I mean, I feel like the luckiest guy in the world to have a girl like you.”

Mialing put the mug down on the dresser and ran to the bed and jumped on Mark, giggling all the way. She decided to tickle him into submission, the energy from the previous day still coursing through their bodies. It didn’t take long before Mark had pinned his girl friend to the bed and was tickling her back.

“Stop, stop,” she giggled.

“Only if you promise to go shopping with me for your ring today?”

“I promise,” she laughed.

“Seal it with a kiss and then I’ll let you go.”

Mialing raised her lips to Mark’s and did indeed seal her promise with a kiss, and then another kiss and another until they made love in the early morning.

Mark and Mialing showered and dressed after their morning tryst and departed to find a ring for Mialing. Mark was going to do this the right way, no more short cuts, an engagement ring, church wedding, a honeymoon, the whole nine yards, Mialing was going to finally get a break in life and Mark was going to give it to her.

Mark brought Mialing from jeweler to jeweler. He wanted to find the perfect ring for his beloved. All the mall stores had the same junk, it looked as though they had had a meeting and hired one designer to make the rings, this wouldn’t do.

“Mialing, let’s go to Beverly Hills, I want something special for you,” Mark stated.

“Mark, no, that’s too extravagant,” Mialing said.

“Honey, I would rather pay a little extra for something nice than give you something just for the sake of giving you a gift, I want this to be special.”

“Mark, you’re going to spoil me if you’re not careful,” Mialing laughed.

“I could never spoil you, you’re too perfect to spoil,” Mark responded as he kissed Mialing’s lips.

Mark and Mialing arrived in Beverly Hills and his search was rewarded. He found the perfect ring for his girl friend. It was a very good quality diamond set between two gold rings that made the stone look as though it was suspended in the space between the rings. The diamond was just over one caret, but the setting made it stand out, it was gorgeous. The jeweler fitted Mialing’s finger and promised to have the ring sized before the store closed.

Mark and Mialing wandered the Rodeo Drive shops until it was time to pick up the ring. They were quite the couple walking down the street, the ordinary blend in Mark, and spectacular looking Mialing. The men would look and wonder how such an ordinary guy could have a beautiful woman like that and the women looked, and mentioned in their catty way that Mark must have money because a beauty like Mialing wouldn’t be with a guy like that if it weren’t for the dollars. Real love was just a figment of the imagination to these plastic people and if they knew of the deep feelings Mark and Mialing had for each other, they would faint.

The couple returned to the jeweler and Mark took the ring and lowered himself to his knee and place the ring on Mialing’s finger.

“Now it’s official Mialing, we’re really engaged, I love you.” Mark said.

Mialing’s eyes filled with tears, her boyfriend was being romantic and this was becoming a very special moment, even the jeweler’s eyes were misting.

“Thank you Mark, I love you so much,” Milaing said in a quivering voice.

Mark raised himself from his knee and kissed Mialing on the lips to prove his love for her.

“May I take a picture of you two?” asked the jeweler. “I don’t usually do this but you’re such a nice couple, I feel as though I’ve known you all your life.”

Mark and Mialing posed as the man shot several photos and then left to find a place to eat. Mialing couldn’t help but look at her hand and held it out now and again just to see the beautiful ring and to be sure she wasn’t dreaming, she was walking on a cloud.

Mark found a nice restaurant and the couple celebrated their engagement. Mialing even accepted a glass of wine, but only took one sip of the liquid. She still didn’t like the taste of alcohol. After dinner they returned to Mialing’s home and soon found their way to the bedroom. Mialing would look at her ring and kiss Mark and then look at the ring once again. Mialing couldn’t believe this was happening to her, she was so in love at this moment and this ring proved Mark’s love for her. Mark was caressing his love and finally entered her as she moaned with delight. This act was the perfect end to a perfect day.

The following day they awoke and started talking about what needed to be done before and after the wedding. Mialing had made coffee and the couple was seated at the kitchen table.

“Mark, this is really a big step, are you sure you want to marry me?”

“More that anything.”

“We have so much to do before hand. I have to find a dress and I have to meet your parents. Where shall we live after the wedding, we have to set a date for it, I have to find bridesmaids, God there’s so much to do.”

“Relax sweetheart, we don’t have to do everything today, we’ll sit and talk about the plans and then figure out how long everything will take, all we need is patience.”

“You’re right, I’m just so excited about all this,” Mialing said as she held her hand out to admire her new ring.

“I have to be to work early tomorrow morning to file a report about the other night and then next weekend I would like to drive up to San Francisco to have you meet my parents,” said Mark.

“I can’t next weekend, I’ll be on a cruise, you know how my schedule works, I do two cruises in a row and then have a week off.”

“I don’t think you should do anymore cruises since your supposed to be dead. If the gangs see you at the docks they will know something is up. Have you thought about returning to Vegas or Reno?” asked Mark.

“I hadn’t thought about that, maybe I’d better not go back to work on the ship. What am I going to do for money, I have to work?”

“I can help you out for a while until we figure out what to do, I won’t let anything happen to you, I love you too much for anything bad to happen.”

Mark and Mialing discussed her options and decided to have her move back to Las Vegas. She had friends there and also connections so employment wouldn’t be a problem. She would have her friends there to help her with the wedding arrangements.

***

Mialing once again began dealing cards, only this time at MGM. Mark went on assignment in Indianapolis but called everyday. This trip didn’t end like the last, he turned down any attempt to date him, he wasn’t going to lose Mialing again.

Mialing gained a new circle of friends and soon they were all lost in the wedding preparations.

Mialing was causing her usual stir at the tables and didn’t notice the clean cut young man who watched her intently every night as she dealt the cards. He saved some extra money and played several hands at her table until he went broke, but at least he was close to Mialing, he was becoming obsessed with her. As she was dealing the cards he noticed her engagement ring sparkle in the bright lights of the casino but he didn’t care because as far as he was concerned she would soon love him and not some rich guy with the money to buy such a ring.

Mialing finished her shift and drove home. The sun would be rising soon and she had a busy day planned. She and Mona were going to look at dresses for the bride’s maids and she was too excited to notice the headlights following her as she drove her usual route home. She pulled into her carport and locked the door and didn’t notice the lights on the car across the street go dark. The figure just watched as Mialing climbed the stairs to her apartment and the lights go on. When she closed the door he removed a cigarette from the pack in his shirt pocket and placed it in his mouth. In his excitement he fumbled with the lighter and finally lit the cigarette and watched as the smoke curled around the windshield. Now I know where my dream woman lives he thought, as his penis grew erect.

Mialing showered and call her friend Sharon and asked her to meet her at the LV Bridal Salon. In her excitement Sharon beat Mialing who had stopped to pick up Mona and was waiting for her.

“I found the cutest dresses,” Sharon said to Mialing, with excitement in her voice.

“Let me see,” said Mialing as Sharon led her to the dress rack.

Sharon pulled a beautiful knee length from the rack and showed it to Mialing. The dress was fitted with lace on the bodice and low enough to show some cleavage and not look trashy.

“Oh Sharon, that’s beautiful, but it looks expensive,” said Mialing with concern.

“I talked to the shop owner already and she said she would make a deal if we buy four of them. You already have four girls in the ceremony and you haven’t even picked your dress yet, I’m sure she will be fair with us.”

“Let’s ask her if she will give us an extra special price if I buy my dress here.”

“Good idea, let’s go.”

The girls found the shopkeeper and she indeed gave them a special price on the dresses. All that needed to be done was to have the girls come in for a fitting.

“Let’s see if we can find a dress for you while we’re here,” Sharon said, dragging Mialing to the bridal dresses.

The girls spent the next hour oohing and ahhing with each dress they pulled from the rack. They finally narrowed the search to five dresses. They would need to try them on to make the final decision.

In their excitement Mialing hadn’t noticed the car that followed her from her apartment to the salon, nor did she see the man taking pictures of her. The man taking the pictures was John Leslie, a rather nerdish fellow who liked to stalk women. Unfortunately he had become more brazen with each stalk, and more cunning. His first attempt was a clumsy failure, being caught by the girl he was stalking. She was a petite cashier that worked at a small casino downtown on the strip and she happened to see him taking pictures of her and attacked him with her purse. When she was done beating him, she called the police but John was able to escape with only a bloody nose. He was more careful the next time and only stole a nighty from the girl’s clothesline. The next girl he became more confident and entered her home. He left a note telling her that he loved her and once again stole some lingerie. After the theft he moved on to another girl. This one he became more brazen and not only entered her home and left a note but he broke a picture of her boyfriend and then once again stole some lingerie. The fourth woman’s stalk became more violent, not to her, he left the customary note but he took a picture of her husband out of the frame and put a knife through it, stabbing it to a table. The police knew what type of man they were looking for but didn’t know exactly who he was. Now it was Mialing’s turn to be stalked. What John didn’t know was that Mialing had become very observant of strange goings on because of her past. She would soon become uneasy about her feelings, as though she was being watched, which she was.

The girls were in the salon for two hours before they had finished dressing and undressing Mialing, and decided on a strapless, A line dress with a sash and train, Mona had tears in her eyes when she first saw Mialing wearing it, she was so pretty.

“Oh Mialing, that’s the one, you’re so pretty, said Mona.

“Mona’s right, that’s the dress, it makes the other ones look like bags, go put a deposit on it, you have to get it, it’s perfect,” stated Sharon.

“It doesn’t make me look fat does it?” asked Mialing.

“Are you kidding, you make me jealous your so thin,” giggled Mona.

Mialing did look thin and that dress helped do that, as her friends buttoned the back she had to suck her stomach in so the dress could be buttoned. Her waist looked as though she had lost two inches from it. Mialing was beautiful, her long black hair falling to her waist and contrasting with the virginal white of the dress, all that was needed were heels and a veil and the ceremony could start right now.

Mialing glided around the shop and loved the feel of the dress as she placed one foot in front of the other. The sound it made as the fabric rubbed against its self made Mialing not to want to take it off. John Leslie was parked across the street from the salon and would take pictures every time Mialing passed in front of the window. Tonight, he would have plenty of material to masturbate himself, John was a sick man. Mialing removed the dress and returned it to the shop owner with instructions to save it for her. She gave the woman a deposit on the dress and the girls left to go home and rest, as they all worked the night shift at the casino.

John had followed and parked across from Mialing’s home. He lit his cigarette and pulled a lung full of smoke into his body and waited to see if Mialing was going out again that day. He waited for around an hour before he left knowing that his love was asleep before she had to work.

Mialing had a very uneasy feeling for some reason, I guess you could chalk it up to experience, it was just a feeling one gets from being around the criminal life style of always being watched by someone. She had entered her apartment but hadn’t gone to bed, she had gone to her window and peered carefully from behind the curtains and had seen John with his binoculars watching her window. Her first thought was to call Mark and tell him what was happening.

“Mark, honey, it’s Mialing, I’m afraid,” she said fearfully.

“What’s wrong baby?”

“There’s some guy watching my apartment from across the street. I had a feeling we were being followed earlier today and now I see this guy. He looks familiar, I think he played at my table once, I’m not sure, what should I do?” asked Mialing.

“Let me handle it, I’ll make some calls and see what’s going on. He might be a cop on stakeout and I’d hate to screw something like that up by mistake. I’ll call you right back, I love you.”

“I love you too,” Mialing said as she hung up the phone.

Mark called an agent he knew was close to the Las Vegas Police Department and gave him the information Mialing had given him explaining that Mialing was his fiancé and he wanted her watched twenty-four seven so nothing would happen to her. Mark’s friend made his call and found out that there was no stakeout in that neighborhood and that Mialing was probably being stalked. The police sent a cruiser to check out the complaint but John had left assuming that Mialing was asleep. The police officer went to Mialings and took a report and a description of the man and his car. He told her that they would send an undercover car to watch her apartment and would question the man if he was seen in the neighborhood.

John was lucky, the cruiser had passed by the exact location of his car and he would have been arrested if it weren’t for the fact that he had left ten minutes earlier. He had to go home to download his camera so he could pleasure himself before he took his stalk to the next level. It was time to leave a note telling Mialing that he loved her and to take some of her private clothing, he needed it to complete his collection. John was also angered that Mialing had that disgusting ring on her hand, after all he loved her and she should love him not some guy that didn’t love her nearly as much as he loved her, something had to be done.

John downloaded the pictures and taped them to his wall in front of his bed. They took up most of the space in that area. He had removed most of the other pictures of his first girls now that Mialing was his newest love. He lowered his trousers and briefs and took his already erect penis in his hand and jacked himself.

“Who loves you baby, who loves you, me that’s who, me, nobody else just me.”

He kept mumbling words until he came. When he finished he felt shame for masturbating in front of Mialing but knew he couldn’t stop what he was doing until he completed what he had started. He grew agitated as he wiped his hand and redressed himself, why doesn’t she love me he wondered, I have to prove my love for her.

John drove back to Mialing’s and waited for her to leave for work. He didn’t notice the undercover car parked in the carport of the apartments across the street from Mialing’s. John lit his cigarette and watched as his perfect woman drove away. The smoke curled around his head and disappeared as the tar gathered on his windows. He smashed it out in the ashtray and exited his car. He walked to Mialing’s apartment and picked the lock with a small pick set he had bought and taught himself to use. It took several minutes before he was successful but he finally entered her abode. He wandered slowly from room to room until he found her lingerie drawer. The excitement had been too much for John as he became erect again. He found a satin camisole and removed his trousers and briefs again and began to rub his erection with the soft material. He had never done this in the girl’s apartment before, he would bring the article of clothing home and use it to pleasure himself but now he was becoming more brazen as his confidence grew.

Undercover officer, Mike Jackson had been watching as John made his way to Mialings apartment. He decided to let John enter he home since he knew she had left for work. He also knew the penalty for breaking and entering was much greater than for watching someone. Mike was a large black cop that didn’t like stalkers because his wife had been stalked once and if he could nail John he would be a happy camper. Mike exited his car and crept across the street and up the stairs to Mialing’s apartment. The door was left unlocked just incase John thought he might have to flee in a hurry. Mike pushed open the door and quietly crept into the living room. From there he could hear John grunting as he rubbed himself with the camisole. Mike peered around the doorjamb and saw what John was doing, you sick fuck he thought. Mike pulled his side arm and entered the room.

John was starting to cum as Mike yelled, “Don’t move.”

“Don’t shoot,” whimpered John as he came into Mialing’s camisole.

“What are you doing in here?” asked Mike.

“Uhh, she’s a friend of mind and I’m watching her apartment,” John lied.

“Bullshit, I know what you’re doing you sick freak, get dressed, you’re under arrest.”

“Please officer, she’s my love don’t do this.”

“Your love? You break into her apartment and use her clothing and you say she’s your love, man you’re warped, now get dressed.”

John dressed and was then cuffed to wait for a squad car to take him to jail. The police called Mialing at work and informed her that John had been arrested and that she would have to come home to see what he had done to her apartment for their report.

Mialing drove home and entered her apartment. She looked and saw that the only thing disturbed was her lingerie drawer. When she saw her camisole she felt violated.

“Would you please take that away, I can’t have it here anymore?” Mialing asked Mike.

“We need it for evidence, you can have it back afterward,” Mike replied.

“I don’t want it after what he did with it, who is he anyway?” asked Mialing.

“We’re not sure just yet, but we think he’s a stalker that’s been breaking into women’s homes for the last month. If you hadn’t noticed him he still might be free to do what he does. How did you notice him anyway?”

“It was a feeling I had, you know, like I was being watched, it was creepy. I called my boyfriend and told him about it and he called you, he’s an FBI agent,” Mialing said proudly of Mark.

“You’re lucky, if this is who we think he is, he was becoming more violent every day and he might have hurt you, thank you for your time, and thank you for being watchful, without you he might have killed someone. You can return to work if you would like.”

“After this I don’t feel like working, I think I’ll stay home.”

The police left and Mialing phoned Mark, she had to hear his voice.

“Honey, thank you for calling the police for me, they caught some guy that broke into my apartment and what he did was disgusting.”

“What did he do?” asked Mark with concern in his voice.

“I don’t want to talk about it, but it’s yucky what he did.”

“I can imagine, I’m glad you called, I miss you. I’ll be done here by the end of next week and I was thinking maybe I could bring you to my parent’s home, after all it would be nice for them to meet their future daughter-in-law.”

“You want me to meet your parents?”

“Of course I want you to meet them, they’d kill me if I didn’t bring you by.”

“Oh God Mark, I’m getting nervous already, what if they don’t like me?”

“They’ll love you don’t worry and when my mom asks you if you would like to see the family photo album, please say no, I get so embarrassed when she shows my childhood pictures.”

“No, I will not, I would never disrespect your mother that way and besides I’d love to see them, after all I am going to marry you,” giggled Mialing.

“You wait until I get back there,” Mark said menacingly and then laughed.

“Ooh, I can’t wait,” Mialing said, giggling all the more.

“Goodnight sweetheart, I love you,” replied Mark.

“And I love you too,” said Mialing as she hung up the phone.

***

Mark returned to Mialing’s after a long week in Indianapolis and they made up for lost time when they reached Mialing’s home. The next day they flew to San Francisco to meet Mark’s parents. When they arrived at the airport Mark rented a car and they drove to the sunset area of the city and parked in Mark’s parent’s driveway. Mark walked his beloved to the front door and rang the doorbell. Normally he would have just walked in but he wanted this to be special for Mialing, so he waited for his father to answer the door.

“Mark’s father answered the door and asked, “Mark why didn’t you just come in, and who is this beautiful young woman?”

“Dad, I’d like you to meet Mialing.”

“Mialing, it’s very nice to meet you. Why you’re as beautiful as your name, please come in.”

“Thank you, Mr. Conrad,” answered Mialing as she stepped through the door.

“Watch out for my dad, he flirts with all the pretty girls,” Mark said.

Mialing giggled. Mark could see his father twitch when he heard Mialing, her giggle had that effect on men.

“Marge, come here, Mark’s here with his girl friend,” yelled Jack to his wife.

Mark’s mother walked into the room and Mark introduced Mialing.

Mom, dad, this is Mialing Lee, Mialing this is Jack and Marge Conrad, my parents. Mom, dad, Mialing and I have something very important to tell you, we’re going to get married and Mialing insisted on meeting you first.”

“You two, are going to marry?” asked mom.”

“Yes mom, but not for a while, there are a lot of things to take care of, like where the ceremony will take place, practices, planning the reception getting a church and hall, there’s a lot to do.”

“Mialing, how do you feel about all this?” asked Marge.

“I’m so excited, I never thought I would marry, but then I met Mark and now I can’t imagine life without him,” answered Mialing.

Marge liked that answer and she was beginning to like Mialing. She was a mother and no woman would ever be good enough for her baby, but maybe, just maybe this beautiful woman would be. She wanted to talk to Mialing alone, there were things to be said that were for women only and Marge wanted to get to know Mialing better.

“Mialing, would you help me in the kitchen for a minute?”

“Sure, Mrs. Conrad, I’d love too.”

“Honey, call me Marge, I can’t have my future daughter-in-law calling me Mrs. Conrad all the time, it’s just not right.”

“Okay Mrs., oops, I mean Marge,” giggled Mialing.

Both men quivered with that giggle. Marge even liked the way Mialing giggled, she seemed to be a nice girl.

“Mialing, how did you meet Mark?” asked Marge.

“I was a dealer in Las Vegas and he played at my table. I don’t drink and he didn’t that night, which impressed me. I never went out with guys that played my table but there was something different about Mark, so I went to breakfast with him and we just hit it off.”

The girl doesn’t drink, hmm, maybe I have it all wrong about this girl, Marge was thinking. Marge had this idea about Mialing that she was some kind of drunk slut that had seduced her son, but she wasn’t that way at all, she seemed to be rather conservative in her actions with her son, if she only knew, but it’s best that mothers don’t know what their children do.

“Do you know what Mark does for a living?”

“Yes and I don’t like it, it scares me so, I’m so afraid something is going to happen to him,” responded Mialing.

“I used to feel that way about Jack, every day he walked out the door, and I would thank God when he returned at night. Those men just don’t know how worried we are about them getting hurt,” said Marge.

Mialing was peeling carrots while the two women talked and then Marge asked the big question, “Would you like to see our photo album? You’ll love seeing mark when he was a little boy.”

“I’d love to,” answered Mialing.

“Mark, I’m going to show Mialing the photo album, would you like to join us?”

“I’d better or the stories will be too big to believe,” said Mark as he and his father joined the girls.

Marge started to leaf through the album and telling Mialing a story about every photo.

“This was when Mark was one year old and we had a party for him and let him eat his cake by him self.”

The picture was of a baby Mark with chocolate cake all over his face.

“He’s so cute,” squealed Mialing.

“And this was when we went on vacation to Yosemite. Mark cried the whole way to the park, it was so hot and he was so uncomfortable, the poor baby.”

Mark hated it when his mother called him her baby, but knew better that to say anything, she would just scold him for being rude.

“Oh, Marge, he looks so cute in this picture, tell me about it.”

The picture was of Mark when he was five years old, wearing a cowboy outfit and sitting on a pony.

“I love that one too. We had gone to a county fair and they had a pony to take pictures with children sitting on its back. We wanted to have Mark’s picture taken and he refused. He said if he wasn’t dressed like a cowboy he wouldn’t do it, so we had to find a store and buy him that complete outfit. He wore it everyday after that until I couldn’t repair any longer and when he had to wear plain old jeans again he cried.”

“Mark, you were so cute, I love that picture,” Mialing said as she smiled at her honey.

“Mom, you know how I hate it when you tell that story.”

“Mark, I think it’s precious that your mother remembers that story and so do I,” said Mialing, as she gave him the look. After Mialing gave him the look he kept his mouth shut knowing that Mialing wasn’t to be trifled with.

Marge continued through grammar school, into middle school and Mark’s first girl friend and then high school and pictures of all the athletic events he was in. There were pictures of his proms and other dances he went to and the girls he dated, his history was now an open book to Mialing. She felt wonderful that his mother had included her into their family.

“Tell us about your family, Mialing?” Marge asked.

“They’re all dead,” Mialing answered as her eyes began to mist.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know,” said Marge as she took Mialing into her arms and held her. It was the thing a mother would do and she felt that Mialing needed a mother just now.

Mialing snuggled into Mark’s mother’s shoulder and felt a new closeness toward her fiancé, being accepted into his family meant more than words could describe, Mialing was finally finding peace with herself as the tears of happiness flowed from her eyes.

Marge felt the dampness on her shoulder from Mialing’s tears and held her tight. She didn’t know the reason for Mialing’s tears but felt responsible because she had asked about her family

Mialing lifted her head from Marge’s shoulder and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

“I’m sorry too Mialing, I should have never asked you about your family.”

“It’s not that, that made me cry, it was the love you showed to me, they were happy tears.”

Marge looked at Mark and said, “You have a wonderful girl here and if you do anything to hurt her, you’ll have to deal with me young man.”

“Yes mom,” Mark answered, like a little boy. You could see the happiness in his face that his precious Mialing had been more than accepted by his parents, she was loved by them, life was good.

Mark and Mialing spent the night at his parent’s home, in separate bedrooms thank you, and departed in the morning. Mark’s mom loved her son’s choice for a mate and couldn’t wait to help her plan the wedding; Marge was such a mom.

***

The couple returned to Las Vegas and settled in with the wedding plans. Mark was able to work from Mialing’s for several weeks and the couple grew more in love with each passing day.

One Monday, Mialing heard the phone ring and picked it up, “Hello.”

“Mark Conrad please,” said the voice on the other end.

“Who may I say is calling?”

“Bob Lew, from the FBI.”

Mialing’s heart dropped. Mark had been home, for it really was a home now, for a month, and now she knew he would be called away. She called to Mark, “Honey, phone, it’s Bob Lew.”

“Shit,” Mark cursed, “I hope they don’t want me for something.”

Mark took the phone from Mialing and answered, “Hello Bob, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”

“It’s the same old thing Mark, we need you for an assignment.”

“Come on Bob, I’m getting married in a few months and I really need to be here and not off in some crappy hotel, my girl friend and I have lots to do.”

“Look Mark this thing won’t take long and better yet, you and I will be working together. You get to stay in a luxury hotel in Miami, not some dive because we’re supposed to be rich drug lords. We make the bust and that’s all we have to do, not even paperwork, someone else will do that, all we will be are front men.”

“It sounds dangerous, Bob.”

“It will be safe, agents will be in the other room watching on monitors, come on what could happen?”

“You know darn well what could happen, okay, I’ll do it, but this is the last undercover deal I’ll do, I want to be around for a long time with my wife.”

“Great, I’ll see you in a few day’s.”

Mialing had overheard Mark’s conversation with Bob Lew. Her stomach dropped when she heard him say he would go on assignment again. She hated the idea that he would be put in danger once again. Mialing liked having her man around where he wouldn’t be in danger and now he was off again. Mialing ran to the bedroom and shut the door, she needed a good cry.

Mark was aware of what Mialing had just done and knew why she was upset. He couldn’t blame her and knew she still that fragile flower he intended to marry. He also knew that he had decided on the FBI as a career and there were things he had to do or he would lose his job and danger was one of the things that went with the territory. Mark went to the bedroom and opened the door. He saw Mialing sobbing into a pillow and went to her and gathered her into his arms and held her tight.

Mark comforted Mialing and said, “Sweetheart, I promise this will be my last assignment, I’ll help train or anything else, but not go undercover anymore.”

“Promise?” Mialing sniffed.

“I promise,” Mark replied.

Mark and Bob flew to Miami the next week and checked in to the hotel in a room nest to the command post. They met with the other agents and went over the plan of the take down of the Columbian drug merchants.

Mark was to be the American buyer and Bob was to be the go between, as a drug importer from Hong Kong. His story was that he imported heroin and sold it to Mark and that Mark wanted to buy cocaine and since Bob didn’t have cocaine Mark would have to buy it from the Columbians.

“Okay guys, here’s how this is going to work,” said Jared King, “We’ll have an initial meeting tomorrow with the dealers and then see how it plays out. We think the buy will happen the next day so this should be quick and easy, get a good nights sleep, see you tomorrow.”

Jared was the head of the drug task force in the Miami area and didn’t like that Bob and Mark were sent from San Francisco to do the dirty work. He felt that his guys were better qualified to make the bust. FBI headquarters thought otherwise so Mark and Bob were there. Jared had a very high opinion of himself, which tended to get in the way sometimes but he would have to put up with these two guys that knew nothing about Miami. What he was forgetting was that these were supposed to be dealers from out of town and they were here to make a buy, not impress someone on their knowledge of Miami.

Mark and Bob returned to the hotel. Their room was luxurious; in fact it was really decadent. Hot tub, sauna, king size beds, the works.

Mark started the conversation, “Bob, I have a bad feeling about this, something doesn’t feel right.”

“I thought it was just me, that Jared guy is way too arrogant, it’s almost as though he wants this thing to fail.”

“That’s how I feel, maybe he’s on the take and he’s setting us up to take a fall, I’m glad it’s not just me that feels this way,” responded Mark.

“We should get a better feel of what’s going on after tomorrow, let’s get some sleep.”

“I have to call my girl friend first, she’ll be worried about me,” said Mark.

“Finally got someone that matters?”

“You have no idea, Bob. This girl means more to me than anything.”

“She must be very special.”

“She is, and she’s Chinese.”

“Well no wonder, that’s why I married my wife,” responded Bob.

“Because she’s Chinese?”

“No stupid, she’s white, I’ve been Chinese all my life and I wanted a change, so I married Brenda, and you know what?”

“What?”

“They’re all the same, black, white, Asian, or what ever, a woman is a woman and they keep you in tow. I thought I was being cool by marrying some blond chick, you know, no sense, boy was I wrong, the woman has a masters from UC Berkley, so much for dumb blonds. We have three kids and God I love that woman, any one that would put up with me has to be a princess.”

“That’s the way I feel about Mialing. Bob you have no idea what that poor girl has been through, and yet she comes back smiling, I don’t get it, I guess it has something to be with being a woman, hell if I had to put up with me, I’d be long gone.”

“You, I’d probably have to shoot me, if I was Brenda, hell I don’t know how she puts up with it.”

“That’s why I’m leaving the field after this is all over, I don’t want Mialing worrying about me.”

“I don’t blame you, this is my first undercover assignment since, God before nine-eleven. I don’t know what possessed me to come here this time.”

“I think I know, the office can be pretty boring sometimes and what the heck, it feels good to be back on the front line sometimes.”

“Yeh, I guess it does.” said Bob.

Mark and Bob went to bed to sleep and be ready for the next day. Mark was awoken by the sound of a voice. It was Bob and he was speaking Chinese.

“Bob, what the hell are you doing?” asked Mark as he sat up from a sound sleep.

“I’m practicing my Mandarin, since my parents died I don’t have anyone to talk too, so I’m practicing.”

“God, practice tomorrow, I need some sleep.”

“Okay, I guess the Columbians won’t be able to speak Chinese anyway, and if they can, I’ll fake it.”

“Thanks Bob,” Mark said, as he went back to sleep.

Mark and Bob slept in knowing that they didn’t have to meet with the Columbians until three PM. Mark rose and called Mialing, just tell her he loved her. Mialing was asleep so he left the message on her answering machine.

Mialing woke from a much-needed sleep. She had been worrying about Mark from the minute he left and couldn’t sleep the night before. It was a good thing that she could basically deal cards in her sleep or she would have been fired from her job. When she awoke she listened to Mark’s message but couldn’t stop worrying about him, so she called a woman that knew what she was going through.

“Hello,” Marge said.

“Hi Mrs. Conrad, it’s Mialing.”

“What’s wrong honey?”

“It’s nothing, I’m just so worried about Mark, I felt that I had to call someone, I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“Oh no honey, you’re not, I feel wonderful that you would call me, now tell me what’s bothering you?”

“It’s just that Mark’s away on an assignment and I’m worried sick about him.”

“Remember how I told you I felt the same way when Jack would go off to work, well I learned that if I prayed, everything would be alright.”

“But I don’t have a religion.”

“Do you believe in God?”

“Yes.”

“Well then pray to God for your man. God is everywhere, he’s not just one religion, trust me, it’ll make you feel better.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Conrad.”

“Mialing honey, if you don’t start calling me Marge, I’ll tell Mark not to marry you,” Marge said as she giggled into the phone. Marge really liked this girl, she was respectful and courteous, and it was obvious that she loved her son, and it made her feel good that she would call her and expose her innermost feelings with her. Mark had made a most wise choice with this girl.

“Okay, I will, goodnight Marge, and thanks,” Mialing said.

“Thanks for what?” asked Marge.

“For being there for me,” responded Mialing.

“Good night sweetheart,” said Marge. Marge hung up the phone and a tear fell from her eye, how could Mark be so lucky to find a caring woman like this, she wondered. Marge wished that Mialing was there, just so she could give her a hug.

Mark and Bob rose and had breakfast. It was already almost noon and they had to get to the hotel where the bust was going to go down. Mark wore a pair of black slacks and a black turtle neck shirt. Bob wore a blue suit, one that looked cheap as though it was made in Hong Kong at one of the inexpensive tailor shops. They looked believable as far as the drug dealers were concerned.

Bob knocked on the door of the hotel room and they were escorted in by an evil looking man. He had scars all over his face, almost as though he had been in a fire, God he was hideous. Bob and Mark were patted down for weapons. They were both smart enough to leave their guns next door knowing that this would be done. The man escorted them into the living room of the suite.

“Hello, I’m Marcus Sanchez, and you must be Rich Fong?”

“Yes, and this is Thomas Craig.”

“It’s nice to meet you gentlemen,” Marcus said as he extended his hand as a formality.

After shaking hands the men got down to business.

“Rich, I understand that you have a need of my product?”

“That’s correct, Thomas would like to buy a considerable quantity of your goods to distribute in the New York area.”

“Did you say New York?”

“That’s correct, why do you ask?”

“Because some low life scum has been distributing some of the same products in that area and were taking care of him tonight.”

“And who might that be?”

“It’s not important, but consider him gone. Thomas you will have exclusive territorial rights and we expect you to buy exclusively from us.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” answered Mark. Mark knew who the thug was talking about and had to warn his friend, drug dealer that he was, but Mark owed a favor and he would pay his friend back.

“How much product are we talking about?” asked Marcus.

“Two tons,” answered Mark.

“That’s a lot of product, do you have the cash?”

“More than will be needed. I want a sample though, I’m not going to by junk.” Mark stated.

“Don’t worry Senior, we only sell the best product, we’ll see you tomorrow at two PM.”

Mark and Bob rose and were escorted from the room. They went back to their hotel and called the command center to be sure that the agents had captured everything on tape.

Bob went to take a shower and when he left the room and Mark heard him enter the shower, he made a phone call. Mark had a debt to pay off.

“Hello,” said the voice on the other end of the call.

“I’d like to speak to Vince Valentine please,” said Mark.

“Who should I say is calling?” asked the gruff voice.

“Mark Conrad, he knows who I am,” replied Mark.

Mark heard the phone being passed from one person to the next.

“Hello Mark, need another favor?” asked Vince when he spoke into the phone.

“No, Vince, I want to pay back your favor from last time.”

“How are you going to do that, Mark?”

“I have some information you might be interested in.”

“You have information for me, isn’t giving me that kind of illegal?”

“Maybe just a little but I owe you and you did do me a big favor and as long as you know that you don’t know where this came from I’ll be fine. I’m undercover right now and I found out that the bad guys are planning a hit tonight in your neighborhood and I think it’s you their after. Be careful, watch your back, that’s all I can tell you, good luck Vince,” Mark said as he hung up the phone. Mark felt better now that he had cleared that debt. He didn’t like owing debts, especially to someone like Vince. He liked Vince but didn’t like what he did for a living and the more he distanced himself from that element the better off he was. Mark would sleep better tonight.

Mark and Bob rose the next morning and went to take down the Columbians. The room where the transaction was to take place was bugged so they didn’t have to wear a wire. They knew they would be patted down for weapons and if they were to wear a wire that would be found. Mark called the observation room and found that all was in place so they could proceed with the bust. What Mark and Bob didn’t know was that the Columbians had become wary of the two men, the reason being that the hit on Vincent hadn’t gone as planned. The hit men were taken out when they rolled the window down on their car. Vincent’s men had actually laid their own trap and the Columbians had fallen right into it. The results were three dead gangsters and one smug Vincent.

Bob knocked on the door and it was opened by one of the bodyguards. The men were escorted in to the foyer and searched for guns. What they didn’t know was that the money case they were carrying had a false inner panel that concealed two guns, one for Bob and one for Mark. The bodyguards were very thorough in their search, even going so far as to feel their scrotum.

“Hey,” Mark yelled, “I’m not carrying anything there, don’t touch my dick again.”

“Sorry senior, we have orders.”

Mark and Bob were led into the living room of the suite to finish the transaction that was started yesterday.

“Welcome back, gentlemen, did you bring the money Thomas?” asked Marcus.

“Yes, it’s in here,” Mark responded, patting the case with his hand. “Did you bring a sample of the merchandise for me to test?”

“Right here,” Marcus responded, as he handed Mark a small bag of cocaine.

Mark hated drugs, but he had to sample the powder or Marcus would grow even more wary than he already was. Mark drew a small amount into his nose and stated that it was good.

“Where is the rest of the shipment?” asked Mark.

“In a warehouse by the docks. It looks like a junk store but the stuff is in the back hidden in some steel drums. Let me see the money, then I will give you the correct address.”

Mark opened the case and turned it around so Marcus could see the hundred dollar bills.

“The address is thirty seven Seaside Lane, now give me the money,” ordered Marcus.

Mark turned the case around to close it but instead pulled the fake cover down and pulled the guns from the clips that were holding them and tossed one to Bob.

“You’re under arrest, FBI, now get,” gunfire erupted before Mark could finish his sentence He and Bob hadn’t seen the gunmen in the other room. Mark felt the bullet enter his back and he fell forward onto the floor making the other shots miss. Bob wasn’t so lucky as he was hit twice before he too landed on the floor. The agents in the other room came running to try to save their comrades in arms. Mark turned onto his back and fired his gun at the assailants, hitting the first in the face. The second had his gun pointed at Bob and would have pulled the trigger if it weren’t for the fact that the first gunman fell directly in front of his gun. Bob wasn’t moving and Mark knew he had to put the other man away before he fired back. Mark pulled off another round and hit he second gunman in the shoulder. This was enough to throw his aim off and he fired wildly into the wall. Marcus in the meantime had grabbed the money case and was trying to run out the side door to the hallway. The other agents had broken down the door and rushed into the room. One of them fired a shot at Marcus as a warning, but Marcus kept running. Another agent saw the second gunman and shot him in the heart before he could do anymore damage. Marcus cleared the doorway and ran down the hallway assuming he would escape. Unfortunately for him he ran into a dead end hallway and had to make a decision, shoot it out with the FBI, or hire a good attorney. Marcus took the later and gave himself up without so much as a whimper.

The agents went to Mark and Bob to see how badly they were injured. Bob wasn’t moving but not because of his wounds, one shot was in his arm and the other had grazed his scalp, knocking him unconscious. Mark’s was much more serious. It had entered his back and traveled downward after it ricocheted off a bone. Mark was beginning to feel sick as the pain was making him go into shock.

“The medics are on the way, stay with me Mark,” said one of the agents.

Mark didn’t feel like talking, he felt like throwing up, God his stomach hurt. The room started spinning and he knew he was going to pass out.

“Don’t close your eyes Mark, look at me,” said the agent.

Mark opened his eyes, he knew he had to stay conscious.

“God you’re ugly, can’t we have a girl do this?” Mark mumbled.

The paramedics arrived and went first to the unconscious Bob.

“Hey, get over here, this guy’s dieing and he needs help right now,” shouted the agent.

One medic stayed with Bob and the other went to Mark.

“How do you feel?’ asked the medic.

“Like shit.”

“Where does it hurt?”

“All over, especially down past my stomach.”

The medic could see the entry wound by Mark’s shoulder and didn’t see an exit wound so he surmised that the bullet must have traveled downward missing his heart but didn’t know what else it hit. Mark had to be transported to the hospital as soon as possible.

***

Mialing had just finished her shower when the phone rang.

“Hello,” she answered.

“Mialing, it’s Marge. I have some bad news for you honey, Mark’s been shot and is in a hospital in Miami. He’s in very serious condition and his dad and I are going to fly back there to be with him.”

“Oh my God, I’ll see if I can have the time off, and if I can’t, I’ll quit, I have to be with him. How badly is he hurt?”
“They wouldn’t tell me on the phone but they did say it was serious.”
“Thank you for letting me know Marge, I’ll see you there.”

“Damn,” Mialing cursed to herself, why did he have to go. Mialing had a feeling before he left that there would be trouble and she was right. Mialing began to shake as the news hit her, all she could think about was that she was going to lose the only person she really loved. She finally pulled herself together and called the casino and explained the situation and they were more than happy to give her as much time off as she needed. Mialing was on the next plane to Miami. When she arrived she went directly to the hospital to be with her beloved Mark.

Mialing arrived at the hospital and went to the information desk in the lobby.

“Could you tell me where I might find Mark Conrad?” she asked the little old woman behind the desk.

“Let me see dear, Conrad, hmm, ah yes here he is, oh my, he’s in I.C.U., that’s on the third floor, go see the nurse and she can direct you to where he is.”

“Thank you,” answered Mialing.

Mialing walked to the elevator and pushed the up button. In her rush to get to Mark she had grabbed the wrong pair of heels in her haste and they were beginning to make her feet hurt. Unfortunately for Mialing one other elevator was shut down for maintenance, which made her have to wait for what seemed to be forever. Mialing was tired from the flight, her feet were hurting and now the elevator was taking forever to get here. Mialing was losing patience. The elevator finally arrived and the doors opened. To make matters worse it was packed with people returning from the cafeteria in the basement. Mialing had to push her way in and then the doors barely closed. Standing next to her was a man that hadn’t shaved for days, nor had he bathed for just as long. As the aroma reached her nose she grew even angrier, she was tired, her feet hurt and now she had to stand next to some guy that smelled like death, what in the heck was happening? The elevator reached the second floor and the doors opened.

“Excuse me,” said the voice in the rear of the car, “I have to get out.”

Everyone in the front of the elevator car had to exit so Mialing stepped off first and five other people followed her lead. As the next to the last person passed through the door, he reached out and felt Mialing’s ass. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back, she looked at the man and snarled, “If you do that again, I’ll rip your heart out,” and then she dissolved into tears.

The man looked at her and couldn’t apologize fast enough.

“I’m sorry lady, I didn’t mean anything,” he said.

“What did you do to her?” asked a Marine.

“I didn’t do anything,” answered the man.

“You touched her ass, I saw you,” stated a nurse.

“Why you little prick, I should kick your ass right here,” said the Marine.

“Please mister, I didn’t mean any harm, she’s so pretty, and I thought,”

“Shut the fuck up before I hit you, tell the lady you’re sorry.”

“I’m sorry miss,” said the man as they stepped back on the elevator.

The crowd all stood away from the man leaving as much space as possible between them and the shunned man. The elevator reached the third floor and the Marine and Mialing got off.

“Do you have someone on this floor?” asked the Marine.

“My fiancé,” answered Mialing.

“Oh, was he in an accident?”

“No, he was shot. He’s an FBI agent.”

I’m sorry, I hope he gets better, maybe I’ll see you around, my dad had a heart attack so I’ll be here a while.”

“Thank you, and thank you for what you did on the elevator.”

“It was my pleasure miss, I only wish that I could have hit the guy, he deserved it.”

“Thanks again,” said Mialing as she went to the nurse station.

The nurse looked up and asked, “May I help you?”

“I’m here to see Mark Conrad please.”

“I’m sorry but only immediate family can see him.”

The nurse was having a bad day and she wasn’t going to put up with anything from anybody at this moment. It should also be mentioned that the woman was a racist and having to talk to a Chinese woman didn’t help the situation.

“I’m his fiancé,” answered Mialing.

“Yeah right,” snarled the nurse, “Unless your married to him forget it, you can’t see him.”

“Listen Miss, I just flew here from Las Vegas and I have to see him, please?” Mialing pleaded.

“I said no and that’s it, I could care less where you flew from, that’s your problem, maybe you should have asked before you flew here.”

“Listen, I’m trying to be nice here, just let me see him,” Mialing said as the anger was returning to her voice.

“Don’t get snippy with me miss or I’ll have you removed from the hospital,” responded the nurse.

Just about this time a handsome white guy came walking up and asked the nurse, “Which room is Margaret Robbins in, I’m her boy friend?”

“Room 309 sir. Margaret hasn’t regained consciousness yet but you can go back.”

“Thanks miss,” said the man as he walked to the room.

“Your letting him go back and she’s only his girl friend, what’s your problem? Why can’t I see Mark?” asked Mialing in a not too pleasant tone of voice.

“Because you can’t.”

It was at this time that Mark’s parents arrived at the hospital and found their way to the third floor.

“Mialing honey, how’s Mark?” asked Marge.

“I don’t know, the nurse won’t let me in to see him,” replied Mialing.

“What? She won’t let you in, I’ll see about that,” Marge said with determination in her voice. “Excuse me miss, why didn’t you let my future daughter-in-law in to see my son?”

“Well, because, you know, she’s different,” answered the nurse.

“Different, what do you mean by that?”

“You know what I mean, she’s not like us.”

“Don’t you mean not like you? I guess your right about that, Mialing is thoughtful and caring and would do anything to help someone and I thank God she’s not like you.”

“You can’t talk to me like that, I’m the one in charge here, and by the way who are you anyway?”

“Mark’s my son and we're the people that are going to get you fired.”

“I doubt that.”

“We’ll see,” replied Marge, as the pissing match continued.

“It’s alright Marge, I’ll see him later,” said Mialing trying to calm the escalating situation.

“No it’s not alright and I’m not going to put up with it, this woman owes you an apology,” replied Marge.

“Apologize, I doubt it, now do you want to see your son or not?”

“Yes we do want to see him, I’ll deal with you later,” said Marge.

“He’s in room 311 and take your friend here with you, I can’t stand to look at her any longer,” the nurse spitted out.

“Bitch,” Marge mumbled under her breath.

Mialing, Marge and Jack walked to Mark’s room. They were surprised to see a cop guarding the door.

“May I help you?” he asked.

“I’m Mark’s fiancé, and these are his parents. We just arrived from the west coast and have to see him,” Mialing told the officer.

“I’ll have to see some identification before I’ll let you in,” replied the officer.

All three showed their identification and were admitted into the room. Mark was sleeping and had tubes running into his arm and nose. Mark was meditated to keep him from moving. He had just been operated on to remove the bullet and patch up the damage it had caused.

Mialing went to his side and took his hand in hers and held it tight. Mark didn’t move because of the drugs in his system.

“Mark, it’s Mialing, your mom and dad are here with me,” Mialing said softly. Her voice had a quiver to it exposing her fear that she might lose this man she loved so much.

When Mialing spoke Mark’s mouth moved ever so slightly, but then he just lied still.

The three people found chairs and sat knowing they would be here for a while.

The door opened sometime later and a doctor entered the room.

“Oh, I didn’t know Mark had visitors,” he said.

“Hi, I’m Mialing Lee, Mark’s fiancé, and these are his parents, Marge and Jack Conrad,” Mialing said as she introduced each other.

“I’m pleased to meet you, I’m Dr. Bruce Weston.”

“How badly is Mark injured?” asked Mialing.

“Very badly. The bullet missed his heart and lungs but did hit his intestines. We had to go in and close up what damage we did find and now it’s pretty much up to him as far as his recovery is concerned. The thing we have to worry about now is infection from the damage done to his insides. We’ll have to keep a close watch on him.”

The doctor took all the vital signs and marked them down on the chart.

“He seems stable right now, but the next two days will tell the whole story on how well he recovers. If he becomes infected, it will happen soon and we’ll be able to treat it. We have him on antibiotics now so hopefully he should be able to fight any infection he might get before it becomes serious.”

The Doctor left the room and the long wait continued.

Mialing held Mark’s hand in hers trying to make him well with her touch. It had been around six hours since they entered the room and Mialing needed a break.

“I’m going to take a walk,” she said to Mark’s mother, “I need some fresh air.”

“Be careful honey,” Marge answered.

Mialing left the room and was happy to see the nurse that hated her so had gone off duty. In her place was a Filipino nurse who was as nice as could be.

“How’s your boyfriend?” she asked.

“He’s still the same,” answered Mialing.

“He’ll get better now that you’re here,” said the nurse.

“I hope so. What happened to that other woman that was here, she was so nasty to me?”

“Do you mean Judy? I know what you’re saying, she hates me. Her sister was supposed to have this job but wasn’t qualified and they gave it to me. If you’re not white she doesn’t like you and if your Asian she dislikes you even more especially after her sister lost the job. Don’t pay any attention to her, she’s just bluffing when she makes threats.”

“Thank you I won’t. I’m going outside for some fresh air, is there a place I can walk?”

“Yes, if you pass through the parking lot there is a park just past the gate that is nice.”

“Thank you miss,” said Mialing.

Mialing took the elevator down to the first floor and walked toward the parking lot. As she rounded the corner of the building she saw a man push a woman against a car and raise his clenched fist to hit her as he yelled, “You bitch.”

Mialing couldn’t believe what she was seeing as the man’s fist hit the woman’s face. He raised his hand again and Mialing yelled, “Stop!”

The man looked at Mialing and said, “Mind your own business.”

“I’m calling the police,” said Mialing, and then turned and started screaming, “Help, someone, please help.”

The man released the woman and rushed toward Mialing to shut her up. Mialing raised her foot and kicked, catching the man in the groin. He went down writhing in pain. Mialing rushed to the aid of the injured woman and asked, “Are you alright?” It was then that Mialing recognized her, she had just saved nurse Judy.

“I’ll be okay,” Judy answered, “Thank you for helping me, if you hadn’t my husband might have killed me.” Judy looked up and recognized Mialing.

“You’re welcome, I didn’t want him to hurt you.”

“After the way I treated you, I would have just walked away and let the man beat me, why did you help me?”

“It was the right thing to do.”

“You might have been injured yourself?”

“I didn’t think about that, I just wanted to help you.”

“I’m so ashamed of the way I treated you earlier.”

“Why were you like that to me?”

“Because you’re Chinese, and now I feel like such a fool.”

Judy had been brutally honest with Mialing, she had admitted that she was a racist and now the girl she despised had saved her from a brutal beating. Everything she had been taught as a child was wrong and now she was going to have to go against everything she believed, that someone that wasn’t white was the equal of her and had been her savior. The tears came and Judy took Mialing into her arms, she needed someone right now and that someone was Mialing.

“It’s alright,” Mialing said as she comforted Judy, “He won’t bother you anymore.”

Judy just cried, how could she have been so wrong about people.

Judy finally gathered her thoughts and said, “Can you forgive me, I’ve been so terrible to you?”

“It’s okay, as long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters,” answered Mialing as she continued to hold the distraught woman.

“I’ll never be able to thank you enough,” said Judy as she broke Mialing’s embrace.

By this time the police arrived and took Judy’s husband into custody. Mialing gave a report as to what had happened and returned to Mark’s side. She had had enough excitement for one day, just being with Mark would make her happy again.

Judy returned to work the next day sporting a black eye and was as nice as could be toward Mialing and Marge. She apologized for her rude conversation with Marge and as the days past became a good friend to Mialing, even inviting her to her home for dinner.

Mark was making progress also, the infection that was so feared never took place and he was ready to go home after week and a half in the hospital. Mark decided to go to his parent’s home so he would be looked after since Mialing had to return to work.

Mialing had returned to work for a month and the wedding plans were going ahead on schedule once again. It was at this time that she heard some news that excited her and phoned Mark about what she had heard.

“Mark, it’s Mailing, how are you feeling?”

“Almost one hundred percent. I go back to work next week. I told them no more fieldwork. Bob decided to retire after what happened.”

“That’s why I’m calling you, I heard from some friends that the head of security has opened up at the Treasure Island casino and they are interviewing for the job. They want someone with law enforcement experience and it pays a lot more than the job you have now. The best part is that you will be here with me and won’t be in the danger you were in before, what do you think?”

“I think I’ll be on a plane tomorrow to interview, do you know of a place I can stay?”

“You brat, of course I know of a place you can stay, and the best part is that you can sleep with the tenant,” giggled Mialing.

Mark flew to Las Vegas the next day and interviewed for the job. The board was impressed and decided that Mark would be their man and he would start his new job in eight weeks. This would be perfect timing. The wedding was to take place in six weeks and it would give him time to put things in order at the FBI headquarters.

Mark and Mialing had decided to have the wedding in San Francisco since most of the guests lived in the bay area and there were more options for locations to have the ceremony. The ceremony was to take place in Tilden Park in the Berkeley hills. The reception would take place on a yacht on the San Francisco Bay. This limited the number of guests to one hundred so only their closest friends could attend.

The day of the wedding arrived and Mialing was the most beautiful bride the guests had ever seen. She arrived at the park in a limousine with her bride’s maids. She went into the lodge to await the ceremony. The processional began and she walked down the aisle to the waiting Mark. Since she didn’t have any family who better than Jason Willard to give her away, after all Jason was practically the father of Mialing.

“Who gives this woman in marriage?” asked the preacher.

“I do,” answered Jason as he took Mialing’s hand and placed it in Mark’s waiting hand.

The ceremony continued and finally came to the reciting of the vows. Both Mialing and Mark were asked to write their own vows and now was the time for them to recite them.

“Mialing, before I met you my world revolved around myself. I didn’t care what I did except to please myself, but when I met you everything changed, you became the center of my universe. I finally knew what love meant, it was my feeling for you. I couldn’t imagine living another day without you, Mialing, I love you and want you to be my wife forever.”

“Mark, before I met you I had never felt love. When we first dated I felt things I had never felt before and didn’t know what those feelings were. This might sound silly but I finally knew I was in love when we were at Grand Canyon and you pulled that prank on me and I thought I had lost you, I was sick with grief if only for a few seconds, Mark you made me alive when you kissed me the very first time and I can’t imagine life without you, Mark, be my husband forever, I love you.”

“Mark, do you take Mialing to be your wife for better or worse till death do you part?”

“I do.”

“Mialing, do you take Mark to be your husband for better or worse till death do you part?”

“I do.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce Mr. And Mrs. Mark Conrad.”

The gathering cheered as the couple kissed as husband and wife for the first time. There would be many other kisses during the day as the celebration continued. Mark had finally won the heart of the woman he loved and Mialing? Mialing had finally found peace in her life.

Notes:

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