Lights Out

Concerned about Song Sara LiMei quickly exits the stage after the judges examine Navarre’s Midnight Lovers Necklace. I wonder how Song Sara is feeling? After coming down the stairs into the backstage area she sees an older man leaning over Song Sara while talking to Michelle Dupont. Where is Rui? 

Before she can question Michelle Dupont the lights go out and LiMei feels a man’s rough hands on her face pressing a cloth over her nose. Caught off guard she has no time to react inhaling the chloroform soaked into the cloth. She immediately passes out and the man drags her out the exit to a delivery truck parked outside the door. Another man pushes the doctor away from Song Sara then grabs her covering her nose with a cloth. He carries her limp body out the door then throws her into the back of the truck along with LiMei.

After the man who carried Song Sara out slams the back door of the truck he motions to the other man, “Hurry up! Let’s get the fuck out of here!”  He removes his night vision glasses as he jumps into the vehicle. 

When they are in the truck the driver’s hands are trembling as he fiddles with the key in the ignition, “Do you think that crazy bastard will be pissed we didn’t know which Asian chick was Feng LiMei?”

“Who cares. They were the only two Asian women backstage so one is definitely Feng LiMei and the other one well..it is just her bad luck. The freak can use the Chinese bitch for one of his fucked up experiments.”

When the lights suddenly go out Morgan is worried about LiMei. FUCK!  He uses the flashlight on his phone to maneuver his way through the other bodyguards to the entrance to the backstage. The security guard tries to stop him but he easily overpowers the muscular man knocking him out of the way. He rushes into the dark room and has a bad premonition when he searches the room for LiMei. When he doesn’t locate her he notices a sliver of light as the exit door is closing. He rushes out the door followed by Hak Byung-soo. A produce delivery truck is pulling out of the parking lot so he sprints over then jumps onto the back of the truck. Holding onto the handle he tries to keep his balance on a narrow protruding metal plate. He jostles the handle of the heavy metal door but is unable to open it. Realizing that the likelihood of him being able to hold on once they speed up is not good he forcefully yanks on the handle.

The door swings open and he slides into the back of the truck then quickly reaches the door handle to close it. He knows if the heavy metal door swings back and forth the noise will attract the driver’s attention. The interior is pitch black, he uses his flashlight to look around. He feels his heart stop when he sees LiMei and Song Sara lying motionless on the floor. He puts his finger under LiMei’s nose and sighs in relief when he feels her warm breath. He checks Song Sara, Good she is alive also.

Morgan gently lifts Feng LiMei onto his lap, smelling the slight lingering scent of chloroform he mutters, “Fucking bastards!”. He hugs her limp body then brushes her hair behind her ear. I won’t let anything happen to you. Dialing Qiao Rui he frowns, FUCK! no signal! Hopefully Hak Byung-soo got the license plate number or at least saw the name on the side of the truck. Qiao Rui said Gunnar Hedwig is under control. Who would dare kidnap Feng LiMei and Song Sara? Is Feng LiMei the target or Song Sara..or both?

Morgan can feel the truck accelerating, they must be on the highway. I need a plan for when they arrive at their destination. He scans the back of the truck. There are empty crates and several empty pallets. The interior is dark… if I can squeeze behind the stacked pallets to hide, I can follow them when they take the two women out. If it was only Feng LiMei I could grab her and jump out when they are at a stop but with two women that is impossible. 

The guests panicking inside of the Main Room is causing chaos and the manager tries to remain calm. He is sweating heavily thinking it is a robbery. The jewelry in this International Competition is worth over a billion dollars. If anything happens during this event I am screwed!  “ Please don’t panic, the lights will be back on shortly. We have an emergency generator for this kind of situation.  Stay in your seats. If you try to leave you may incur an injury.” 

Rui has already headed to the backstage to collect LiMei after she modeled the necklace. His eyes were full of jealous flames when he saw all the men leering at Li Mei and commenting on her ethereal beauty. Li Tian and Leo Cadieux ignore the manager’s warning and rush towards the backstage area pushing aside anyone in their way. Li Tian has a bad feeling and wants to find Song Sara as quickly as possible. He believes she isn’t a woman who would easily put aside her responsibility and have Feng LiMei take the stage in her place. Leo Cadieux is equally worried.  He thinks because LiMei modeled the Midnight Lovers Necklace Song Sara must be experiencing complications from her pregnancy. She must be frightened with the lights suddenly going out. When they arrive at the entrance to the backstage the lights flicker then brighten. The frightened models are rushing out of the door and passing them.

When they enter the room they witness Rui holding onto Hak Byung-soo’s collar with a murderous aura surrounding him.  “You fucking useless piece of shit! Why weren’t you guarding Feng LiMei.”

Li Tian ignores him and looks around for Song Sara. Marisa hesitates then approaches Li Tian with a contemptuous look on her face, “Looking for your little whore?” She recognized Song Sara when she was laying on the couch and was reminded of the humiliating scene at her villa before it burnt down. Additionally, her best friend Margot complained nonstop for two days that Navarre was using Li Tian’s girlfriend as a model instead of her, saying he wanted a fresh face.

Li Tian’s face is black and he grits his teeth, “Where is she!”

Marisa could hear the conversation between the two unsavory looking men. Apparently they wanted to abduct Feng LiMei but weren’t sure which Asian girl was her so they grabbed both women. I won’t tell him that..or should I? Hmm.. “Two men grabbed her and the other little Asian girl.”

“What two men?”

“How would I know. I’m sure it could be any one of your enemies.”

He pushes Marisa out of the way and hurries over to Rui, “Two men abducted Song Sara and  Feng LiMei.”

Rui narrows his eyes,  “Have you pissed anyone off lately?” Rui doesn’t want to deal with Li Tian, he couldn’t care less about Song Sara, but he wonders why both women would both be kidnapped. I know Gunnar Hedwig wouldn’t put his mother in danger and go back on his word. Who else knows Feng LiMei is Subject 456? Or is it about Song Sara? LiMei got grabbed because she was with Li Tian’s woman?

“Have you?”

Rui has an uneasy feeling that LiMei might be the target so he doesn’t press Li Tian any further. “We need to look at the hotel’s security cameras. Hak Byung-soo got the license plate number and has a description of the truck. He takes out his phone, “I will use a contact in the police department to see if they can locate the delivery truck.” He takes out his phone as they walk out to the main room to locate the manager. 

The delivery truck has been travelling down a highway at a high speed then suddenly brakes. Morgan holds tightly onto LiMei and stabilizes Song Sara with his other hand. He can hear the men’s muffled voices in the front discussing where to turn off the highway. Morgan thinks they should be arriving at their destination soon from the men’s conversation. His assumption is proven correct when he feels the truck make a sharp turn down a bumpy road. We must be in the countryside. When the truck slows down he hears the driver talking to a guard to open the gate. Morgan tenderly caresses LiMei’s cheek and can’t resist the urge to kiss her and lightly presses his lips on her forehead. Afterwards he stares lovingly at her delicate face and traces his finger across her curled black eyelashes, I promise I won’t let them hurt you. He carefully lays LiMei down next to Song Sara then moves behind the stack of pallets towards the back of the truck.