Page 5 of Punished
“And if your opinion mattered to me, I still wouldn't give a shit,” Ajay said, then shoved past Markum with his box. He took everythinghe wanted and ignored everyone as he made his exit. The fresh air that hit his face as soon as he was out of the building smelled more fragrant to him. The breeze was gentle and cool, it was beautiful in Tampa and he was going to enjoy the freedom he now had, both from his job and the prison. The months he'd spent in prison were made sweeter because of the men of the Lords. Already, he missed them. He took a cab home and while sitting in the back, he knew he had to find a way to let TT and Dragon know what had happened. He didn't want them to think he'd abandoned them or that he'd betrayed them. Especially not with that incriminating video they had on him.
He'd prove to the Lords that they'd never need it and he'd make sure TT would never have to worry about being loved ever again. First things first, he needed to make amends with the rest of the members of the Lords. That was one visit he wasn't looking forward to.
Chapter three
Chen
Chen stood in thecorner of the room and checked his watch. They had gotten word that their prisoners were coming in less than ten minutes. He looked up and slipped his hands into his pockets as he leaned against the wall, ankles crossed. His brown gaze panned over to Yìchén, who stood beside his father, Da Han. He studied the young man and wondered what the best approach to training him would be. Surely, he would need to test the boy's skill in physical combat as well as weaponry. That was a given. What he was concerned about was how to handle the mental lessons. He'd have a better understanding of which direction to take based on how Yìchén handled what was going to happen tonight.
The basement door opened and Da Han’s soldiers entered, dragging Wang Lu Mujin into the room. Stephen Yeoh trailed the man dressed in a black turtleneck, cargo pants, and boots. He was the triad’s Incense Master. In addition to those duties, he was also their lawyer, fixer, and assassin and had been with the family for twenty-six years. At thirty-eight years old, he was one of the triad's highest-ranked members. Chen nodded at Stephen, a show of respect, and the man bowed his head to return the gesture.
“You ask and I deliver,” Stephen told Da Han with a bow, the way to acknowledge the hierarchy.
“Every time,” Da Han said with a satisfied smile as he watched his uncle get dragged past him, struggling and cursing.
There was a black bag that had been placed over the man's head and his ankles and wrists were bound with a black rope. The guards slammed his body into the chair that was bolted to the floor none too gently. Wang grunted from the impact, his body slumped forward, and the guard pulled him back and began to tie him to the chair itself.
The other people in the room present to witness the torture and death of Wang Lu Mujin were Da Han's wife, Mèng Yáo, and his brother, Tian Yu. Everyone present was either sitting or standing around in places that would give them a good view of the action.
Chen watched as Da Han glared at the man bound to the chair. He knew this was going to get bloody. Wang Lu Mujin had committed the unthinkable and had betrayed his family. Killed his own brother and had tried to kill Da Han. The look of pure hate in Da Han's eyes was evident, almost radiating off the man like heat from a furnace.
“We've put the other three in the next room, Mr. Mujin,” one of the guards said.
“Good, is anyone watching them?” Da Han asked.
“Yes, sir,” the guard replied.
Da Han nodded, then pulled out his cell phone. Chen wondered who he was calling.
“Are you here yet?” Da Han asked the other person on the line. “How much longer?”
Chen realized at that point, Da Han was calling his younger brother, Yu Fei.
“When you get here, don't do anything. I want to see for myself how your men can handle business,” Da Han said. “Fine. Bye.” He ended the call and slipped his cell phone back into his pocket, then walked over to his uncle and lifted the bag from his head.
The man's face was bruised here and there and he blinked several times as he looked around frantically. He turned to glare at the man standing in front of him and his lips twisted into a snarl. “Da Han,” he growled.
“Disappointed I'm not dead like my father?” Da Han asked as he stared down at his uncle.
“Very,” Wang said, then laughed. “You don't deserve to be the Dragonhead.”
Da Han leaned forward. “And do you think you have what it takes to lead? Everything the Jade Dragon Triad has become is thanks to my father. You spent your years in his shadow and resenting your very inadequate existence in the brightness of his greatness. That is why you killed him.”
Wang stared hard at Da Han, his grimace deepening as his nephew's words hit their target... his pride. “Why are you here when you should be in Beijing?”
“I'll return, but first, I have to handle a domestic issue.” Da Han straightened and adjusted his suit. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with. You'll die this night and it won't be fast. If your weak heart gives out, old man, Ihave a defibrillator there to bring you back from the dead. You'll go to hell when I'm ready to send you there.”
Wang turned in the direction of where Da Han said the defibrillator was and sure enough, it was in the corner and two guards were standing by it. He returned his scowl to Da Han. “You think I'm afraid of you?”
“Yes. Why else would you be so cowardly? Running and hiding after your failed attempt to wipe out my father's lineage. You asked me why I was here. It's because I face my enemies head-on. I won't run, I won't hide, but I will win.” Da Han swung hard with the back of his hand, striking his uncle across the face. His uncle grunted, blood and two teeth flew from his mouth and sprayed across the gray cement floor.
Wang spit more blood onto the floor and then looked up at Da Han with a bloody smile. “Look at how all of that power went to your head. You know what they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Da Han chuckled. “Power only corrupts those too weak to control it. I assure you, Uncle... you would have never been able to handle this position.”
Wang snarled. “Hàorán will run this family better than you.”
Da Han looked ahead and half snorted, half laughed. “Hàorán? My aunt's son? You always did favor him. Should I put a bullet in his head and be done with any possible upstarts?”
